7 Kettles
by Altocat
Summary: Taking a break from the Joker's abuse, Harley Quinn meets Pamela Isley. Third part of the Until We Bleed Series. Reviews greatly appreciated.
1. Streets

It was very cold outside and she felt the icy chill of the rain furthering her discomfort as she dashed about the darkened alleyways.

_Shelter…_

Yes, she needed to find one. She could spend the whole night wandering aimlessly around in the rain. She was already so exhausted.

Pausing, she looked timidly over her shoulder and sniffled, staring dejectedly out into the distance.

"Mr. J is such a meanie," she said softly, trying not to cry. "He shouldn't be so nasty. I was only trying to help."

Shutting her eyes briefly, the memory came back to her.

"_Why did you have to go and screw thing up for us? They could have killed us after that little stint you pulled! It was a stupid move, Harley."_

"_I'm sorry, Puddin'! I just wanted to speed things up! I just wanted to make sure that we got the loot quicker…"_

"_You're an idiot. You got Poke wounded in the arm and I had to drag his ass out of there. Did you think that was fun?"_

"_Mr. J—"_

And then that cruel slap on the face had come. She could still feel it now, stinging her cheek despite the coolness from the rain. It still hurt as much as it did then.

So she had fled; fled for shelter, fled in order to escape any further wrath he might have felt necessary to inflict on her. Even though being treated roughly had become something of a daily routine for her, she had wanted to take a break from it all.

Her Puddin' needed time to cool off. After all, that was how most relationships were brought back together. They just needed their…space.

But now, looking out into the blackness of the streets, she could feel tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She missed him already. Being away from him was like a dagger to the heart.

Sighing, she trudged slowly onwards, stumbling slightly as she felt a headache coming on. It was definitely not a good idea to keep wandering around out here. She'd be sick and what use would she be then?

_And besides…you never know when HE'S following you._

Her eyes widened and she ducked her head, flinching at every bat-shaped shadow. She feared the Batman above all else. Though she had once come close to killing him, he was still out there and he was still ready to take her back to the dreaded Arkham Asylum.

All he had to do was find her.

The thought terrifying, she began to run, panting and letting out strangled sobs of fear. She knew he wasn't there, but she could still feel him lurking somewhere out there, searching for her and ready to pounce on her and pin her to the ground.

Tripping on rain-puddles, she ran until she could run no longer and leaned back against a brick alley-wall for support.

_I wish it weren't raining. I'm going to get sick._

She felt utterly miserable. Not only was she far from her man, she was out here without a place to sleep. Sighing, she crouched down low to the ground and stared at her reflection in the puddle at her feet. The war-painted woman stared back at her with round blue eyes, making her feel even worse. She looked wretched.

Leaning her head against the wall, she closed her eyes and whimpered softly to herself in the cold, trying to remember the joy she had felt when her Mr. J had rescued her from Arkham Asylum that one time after her…'falling accident'. Though she knew that he would not rescue her now that she was too far away, she wished she could see him again.

Shivering, she moved her dripping pig-tails out of her face and curled up into a tiny ball. Even though she was still wet and cold, this alleyway was a better shelter than nothing. Perhaps she'd go back home in the morning and maybe Mr. J would have forgotten his anger towards her.

_Mr. J…_

His face lingered in her mind until she finally lost consciousness, following her into her feverish dreams.


	2. A Stray Dog

Poison Ivy

That was a sort of nick-name that the crude youth of Gotham City had bestowed her.

Even when she had been very small, Pamela Lillian Isley had loved plants. She'd spend hours in her old childhood garden tending to every flower with gleefulness and enthusiasm. Her parents had been quite wealthy and had indulged her a great deal with the many acres of land that they had owned. Sure, they never really been able to spend that much quality-time with her, but she had learned very early that life wasn't fair that way.

When they had both died in a car-crash when she was a young adult, she had inherited their money and had donated half of it to funds helping endangered tropical plants in foreign lands.

Although she didn't really much care for it, Pamela found that living in Gotham City had its advantages for her. Using the remainder of her wealth, she had built a private greenhouse all to herself by the house she lived in and had seen to it that she was farther away from the general public. Pamela didn't like people all that much and her secluded house, garden, and greenhouse were really all she needed to be content.

Because of her skills with handling and researching plants, she had managed to privately bio-engineer several thought-to be-extinct plant species and occasionally donated some of her results to Gotham University. Through this, money was never a problem. Of course, she usually kept the most fragile of her plants all to herself.

Sometimes, she'd go and inspect the main park of the city and makes sure that it was in good enough condition; planting seeds, picking up litter, and pulling out any weeds she might find. Because of this, she was nick-named 'Poison Ivy'—a name that stuck.

Appearance-wise, she really didn't have much to complain about. She had been blessed with gorgeous looks; long red hair, a beautifully-formed torso, and exotic green-eyes that caught the attention of any man that passed her way. But Pamela didn't care much for men. They were all too loud and rough and she knew that they didn't care a fig for helping the environment.

So she lived in solitude, not caring that her only company was the plants that she looked after. She could live with that. She was happy to live her regular, ordinary life without anyone with her.

Until that one rainy night.

XxX

She had been walking alone, humming low under her breath as she headed back for home. She didn't like to drive into the city: that meant having disgusting car fuel pollute the air. So she was content to either walk into the city or ride a bike.

Tonight she should have ridden her bike. It was really beginning to get stormy out. Running as the rain began to pour down from the sky, she cursed herself for ever leaving home in the first place.

"Damnit, it's raining cats and dogs!" Gotham's weather was often unpredictable. Good thing her house wasn't too far away.

Stopping in a nearby alleyway, she paused and waited for the rain to let up. Leaning back against the wall, she sighed and brushed at her soaked hair, combing it with her fingers.

Suddenly she heard a low groan from behind, making her jump. Squinting in the darkness, she could see a lone figure curled up against the wall not too far away from her.

_It must be some hobo or something._ Curious, she went to get a closer look.

It wasn't a hobo. It was a woman. A woman wet and shivering and unconscious, with soaking blonde hair pulled up into pigtails and a face with smeared white paint. She wore a red coat with many diamond symbols and black pants that were torn and ragged. Around each pigtail was a ribbon—one red and one black—that contained a set of bells.

Pamela was genuinely confused. What had happened to her? Was she alright?

Crouching down low beside this exhausted wreck of a woman, she gently nudged her. "Hey…hello? Are you alright?"

Another groan. The woman's eyes opened a slit and stared up blankly at Pamela. The pupil was dilated and gave off the appearance of delirium. Not a good sign.

"J," the woman croaked weakly. "Puddin'…" Her eyes closed again.

Pamela prodded at her some more but could not get her to respond.

_What do I do? Should I just leave her here?_

She had never been that much of a do-gooder. Hell, if it were a man, she wouldn't have done anything at all. Inspecting the woman closely, she saw what looked like a bruise on the woman's cheek. Had she been in a fight?

Chewing on her bottom lip, Pamela looked out into the distance. Her home wasn't _too _far away really. Just a little bit more on foot and she could be home in about fifteen minutes.

Looking back down at the woman, she felt herself torn on what to do. She didn't know this woman or what had happened to her. Perhaps she had no right to interfere.

_But she looks so helpless. She's obviously very sick. She could die if she stays out here in the cold and the rain._

She looked back into the distance and sighed. As gently as she could, she stooped over and helped the exhausted woman to her feet, bearing her up as best she could.

"Easy now. I'm going to get you someplace nice and warm."

Placing the woman's arm around her shoulder, Pamela led her out of the alleyway. Though it was a bit of work to get the woman to move, she managed to drag her out of the city-region and closer towards home.

Eventually, they arrived and Pamela was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "Okay. We're here."

Dragging the woman forward, she entered the doorway and placed the woman on the couch. Stretching, she went over to the plants on the windowsill and gave them a quick watering.

"Hello, my babies. Mama's home. I picked up a stranger too while I was out."

The woman's teeth were chattering. Putting down the watering-can, Pamela went back to where she rested on the couch and felt her forehead. It was burning hot to the touch.

"We've got to get you situated. You're really sick."

Wasting no time, she made the woman lie down and placed a hot towel on her feverish brow. Holding a small cup, she patted the woman gently.

"I have some medicine here to make you feel better. It tastes pretty bitter but you'll have to work with me here, alright?"

The woman said nothing but did not protest when she was given the medicine to swallow. Pleased, Pamela set herself to work on cleaning up the poor creature, wiping off the smeared clown-paint and drying her wet hair. The clothes needed to be changed too but she didn't feel comfortable with removing them. So she did her best to dry them as much as possible.

While the woman lay in silence, she brewed up some broth in the hope that the woman would eat it. It would definitely make her more comfortable.

"Want some?" she asked as she held the spoon up to the woman's lips. "It's tasty."

The woman drank the broth feebly, mewling for it like a starving kitten. When she was finally satisfied, she turned her head away and moaned slightly.

"What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"Mr. J," she croaked. "I'm sorry…it was my fault…"

What was she talking about? Who was this Mr. J? Was he the one who made that bruise on her cheek?

_Mr. J…_

Suddenly, Pamela's eyes widened. She knew this woman. How could she have been so blind?

This was no ordinary woman, this was Harley Quinn. This was the dangerous woman who had allied herself with the maniacal clown by the name of the Joker. She had seen this woman several times on television, trotting giddily at the Joker's side while he maimed and slaughtered people.

_And I actually think I met this woman once. Didn't she try to kidnap me that one day?_

The memory was hazy and she could recall the woman letting her go.

Now she was more at a loss than ever. What could she do now that she had taken in a dangerous, wanted criminal? If Harley Quinn was here, then the Joker would be here too.

_Maybe I should throw her out. The last thing I want is to be killed._

The woman named Harley Quinn shifted slightly on the couch and whimpered. Pamela stared and hovered over her, searching her feverish, tormented face.

_She doesn't look like a killer or a monster…_

The woman let out a sort of high-pitched whine and Pamela realized that she was crying in her sleep, calling out to her 'Puddin''. It was utterly pathetic. This _couldn't _be the madwoman that everyone was talking about. She was too helpless and frail.

Pamela's eyes lingered on the dark bruise on the woman's face. Could she really throw her out?

Sighing, she stood up and wrapped a blanket around the shivering woman's body, gently wiping the tears that were streaming down her flushed cheeks.

"Damnit, I must be insane."

Rubbing her head, she sighed again and shut off the living-room light, giving the woman some peace.


	3. Spark

The woman lay in feverish sleep for two days, eating what was given to her and occasionally murmuring under her breath.

Often, Pamela would lean over her and listen to the words that were quietly being uttered. Sometimes, it was for the Joker and sometimes it was for someone called Cutter.

And sometimes, on a rare instant, the woman would call out for her mother, whimpering and strangling on choked sobs. Pamela would smooth back her hair and do her best to soothe her, waiting until the woman's nightmares went away.

After a great deal of inner-conflict, Pamela had decided to remove the woman's clothing in order to change her into some clean clothes. It had been difficult as the woman had been limp and lifeless the whole time, never opening her eyes one instant. But now, dressed in a comfortable long-sleeved shirt and thick dress-pants, the woman had stopped shivering and seemed more at ease.

The feeling around the place was tense: Pamela was still waiting for the Joker to break down the doors and murder her for hiding his follower. But as two days had passed, Pamela was beginning to find herself more at ease. Obviously, the Joker must not have known where she was.

The woman was a peculiar thing to Pamela. Asleep, she was no deadly threat or villainess of any kind…she was nothing more than a helpless, kindness-starved kitten. Pamela wanted to throw her out, wanted to call the police. But all the same, she felt the bamboozling urge to protect this weak, battered creature with all her might.

It bewildered the hell out of her. When she wasn't tending to the garden or the plants in the greenhouse, she'd spend the time cautiously regarding the woman from the other side of the room, wondering if her pitiful fatigue was nothing more than a façade.

Eventually, the woman's fever began to subside thanks to Pamela's healthy supply of herbal-medicine and healing skills. In time, she began to groan and shift restlessly on the couch—a sign of growing consciousness. Pamela felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness when the woman's eyes began to open ever-so-slightly.

And then, at long last, they opened fully and stared up at Pamela, who was hovering over her.

The woman's eyes were a deep baby-blue color, a beautiful sort of color. For an instant, they were groggy and confused, searching Pamela's face for answers and clarity. Then, becoming aware, they hardened and a fearsome light sparked within them, glaring at Pamela aggressively.

The woman sat up quickly and lurched away from Pamela, gritting her teeth and snarling. Her hands twitched at her side as if she were trying to reach for an invisible knife. Seeing that her knife was not with her, she gasped and shakily got to her feet, backing up.

"Who the hell are you? Why am I here?"

Pamela stared and gulped, hoping that this woman wouldn't try to kill her with her bare hands.

"I brought you here. You were sick."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You were laying in a heap in an alley-way. I was worried that you would've died."

"So you…brought me here?" the woman looked around warily, eyeing the plants in the background with confusion and impatience. "What is this place? Some kind of plant-zoo or something?"

"This is my home," Pamela replied, trying to sound calm. "You've been here for two days now."

The woman scowled and then grinned dangerously. "It was dumb of you to bring me here. Don't ya know who I am?"

Pamela nodded. "I do."

The baby-blue eyes filled with temporary confusion. "Wait—so then, you _still_ brought me here? Lady, are you really that stupid? I'm with…with—"

"—Someone who gave you that bruise on your cheek. I suppose that's why you were running around all by yourself in the rain."

"No that's…" the woman's eyes widened and she stood there for a moment, almost lost in some unpleasant dream. Then her eyes focused again and she stared coolly at Pamela. "What's it to you anyway? I didn't need you to come along and help me. I was doing fine all by myself."

Pamela smirked. "Yeah. That's why you were unconscious and whimpering like a kicked puppy."

The woman glared and said nothing, turning her head slightly and looking away. "Where are my knives? And why'd you take the time to put me in some new clothes? You better not have gotten rid of my costume."

"I've still got your knives and your cloak and such. I gave you some fresh clothes to wear to make you more comfortable. You were shivering and shaking all night."

"…Feh. Lady, don't you know that I could kill you right now? Aren't you afraid?"

"No," Pamela lied. "I'm not frightened of you. I don't even think you've ever even killed someone before."

Another glare. But Pamela continued. "I don't want to hurt you and I don't plan on calling the police on you. You should know that I'm actually something of a recluse here in Gotham. I don't like the GCPD that much and I have no intention of giving information about you."

"So then…why did you take the time to heal me up?"

Pamela shrugged. "You were tired and hurt. I don't know. I just felt like it."

"You just felt like it, huh?" the woman muttered. Then, a wide smile stretched on her face. "You're weird! Ha ha…"

The laugh was like a child's; bubbly and full of friendliness. It made Pamela more comforted. She tried to get closer to the woman but she still kept her distance, eyeing Pamela with distrust.

"Do you mean it when you say that you're not going to call the cops on me?"

Pamela nodded. "I mean it."

The smile got wider. "Hm. I think I like you. What's your name?"

Pamela hesitated. "My name is Pamela Lillian Isley. But they call me Poison Ivy."

"Poison Ivy? Hey, I think I've seen you before. You're the lady who's always at the park. I think my boys once caught you and were planning on kidnapping you."

"Yes. They did. You're the one who told them to let me go though."

"Did I? Huh. Don't really remember it," she looked over at the door. "Anyway, nice meeting ya. I gotta go back now. Mr. J is waiting for me."

_She's leaving?_

"Not so fast," Pamela said, slowly blocking her way. "Why are you going back to him? He hurt you. He gave you that bruise."

"He just got a little carried away…"

"He hurt you. Why do you want to go back? You're still recovering and I'll bet that the police are searching for you."

The woman's eyes widened and blinked at Pamela. "But I…I gotta go back…"

Pamela stared into her face, trying to understand the madness that lurked in her eyes. "Why not at least stay here for a bit until you get better?"

Now the woman looked genuinely puzzled. "You _want _me to stay here? Are you crazy?"

"I don't understand why. I just know that it would be better if you did. Just for a few days until you're fully ready to leave. Besides, if you go back to him now, he might still be…ah, angry with you."

The woman's eyes went blank. "Yes…yes, he might…okay. Fine. I'm gonna bunk here for a bit." Then the eyes hardened again and became fierce. "But don't you think I'm gonna let you push me around. Don't even think about alerting the GCPD or the Bat. I know how to handle a knife and I can easily end your life before you'd have time to blink."

Pamela laughed softly.

"I mean it! I'm feared all around Gotham!"

"Who are you trying to fool? Right now, you're still half-dead. So please stop threatening me."

The woman grumbled but moved away from the door, walking closer toward Pamela with curiosity. "They call you Poison Ivy, huh? I can see why, what with all these plants everywhere. What's the big deal about 'em?"

"Plants are the true life forms of this planet. They are the symbols of life and health. Without them, the Earth would be a barren wasteland. In fact, it's already becoming one. People are careless and destroy the earth more and more every year. They are the ones who need to suffer for what they are doing. Unlike disgusting people who pollute the earth, plants exist to bring us back to the beauty of nature."

"Wow," the woman said. "You're a real eco-nut. You got plants on the brain, don't you?" She yawned and grinned cheekily. "What should I call you then? Pamela or Poison Ivy?"

Pamela, brought back from her ramblings, thought about it. "Call me Ivy. I really don't mind the nickname."

"Ivy…whatever. I suppose I must thank you. You, um, really helped me out. Thanks." And the woman's face blushed and she looked like a little schoolgirl, ducking her face down.

Ivy smiled slightly; glad to see that she was out of danger at the hands of this woman. It appeared that the woman no longer wanted to do any harm to her. "No need for it."

The woman looked up at Ivy, still blushing with newfound shyness. "So, um. I think you probably already know my name. I'm Harley Quinn: second-in-command of the Joker crew. But, ah, call me Harley. Everyone does."

"Alright, Harley. Want me to show you around?"

Harley nodded. "Okay. Why not?"

Gently, Ivy grasped Harley's wrist and led her along. "Alright then, come with me…"

And so it all began…


	4. The Greenhouse

Harley's eyes widened as they entered the greenhouse. "Gee! This place is covered with plants from head to toe!"

Ivy smiled slightly and caressed a bit of curling vine. "That's right. This is where I look after all of my rare plants. Some of the species here you'll never see anywhere else."

Harley eyed her suspiciously, still not completely trusting her. "How are you able to get the money for makin' all these plants?"

"I use some of these plants to create certain serums and medical remedies. I'm often sought after by Gotham University. They pay quite a lot."

Harley's eyes brightened. "I went to Gotham University. I studied psychology there."

Ivy raised an eyebrow.

_That's right…this woman was once a doctor at Arkham Asylum. She went insane after being taken hostage by the Joker. He must've warped her mind…_

Her eyes were drawn back to the fading bruise on Harley's cheek.

_But she doesn't seem all that dangerous now. In fact, I'd say that right now she's almost…normal. That bruise…I wonder how many times he's hit her. How could she bear to love a man like the Joker? He's the most dangerous man in Gotham!_

Harley, sensing Ivy's stare, cocked her head and blinked.

"You were once a doctor…"

"You bet. But it was never any fun. It was all a joke. My Puddin' was the one who made me see that." A dangerous gleam returned in her eye and temporarily, Ivy was worried that she was in danger again. But the gleam faded and Harley seemed half-way normal again.

"Yes…we'll anyway…"

She turned away and picked up a watering-can, sprinkling a rose. She felt Harley creep closer, watching her cautiously.

"Red hair," Harley murmured.

"What?"

"You got red hair. It's rare to see hair like that. Redheads are sort of dying out y'know."

Ivy snorted and continued to water. "I suppose." She looked over at Harley's hair—blonde and bound up into pigtails.

_How childish. She's probably in her twenties and yet those pigtails are so like a little kid's._

Harley crept even closer now, inspecting Ivy warily. Ivy sighed under her breath.

_She still doesn't fully trust me. She thinks that this is all a ruse to distract her until I call the cops. _

Putting down the watering can, Ivy picked up a flowerpot and handed it to Harley.

"What's this for?"

"Have a look at it. This is one of my rarest plants. I still don't have a name for it yet. For now, I'm calling it Project 88" She watched as Harley examined the delicate light-blue petals.

"Pretty," Harley said softly. "It's the color of the sky."

"That's why I like it so much. I managed to create it a week ago. I'm pretty sure that it has some use, but I haven't been able to discover it yet. It's very delicate and frail and it needs constant attention and care. I want to give it all the love I can."

Harley set the pot down and smiled. "You really aren't gonna rat me out, huh? Why else would you show me this kind of stuff?" She stared back at the flower again, sighing a little. "I guess you're really not so bad after all. You're pretty cool, Red."

"Red?"

"Like your hair."

Ivy was taken aback slightly, not used to the nickname. Harley just smiled and nodded.

_Well…I suppose 'Red' will have to do. If it will make her happy, I suppose there's no real harm to it._

"Come look at some of the other plants," Ivy said as she guided the woman forward. "You cannot begin to fathom how many different species of plants that I have."

Harley followed Ivy, looking at her with newfound trust. She gasped as Ivy showed her the flytraps, oohed upon discovering the large vines capable of crushing bones, and grinned when she saw the assortment of flowers that grew in many different shapes and colors.

"Don't ya ever get sick of plants, Red? I mean, don't ya have anyone else in your life?"

Ivy frowned. "Why would I want to? People are horrible. They ruin the environment."

"But surely you must have someone special in your life?"

Ivy snickered cynically. "None. I can't stand how boorish men are. All they do is look at your chest and drool all over themselves."

"Not like my Mr. J. He's utterly perfect. We've got everything in common."

Ivy blinked. "Evidently, you didn't have _enough_ in common. That bruise tells a story on its own. I'd say that you were unlucky enough to fall for someone that treats you like a tool."

Harley glared for a moment and then looked away. "No…I'm…I'm not really a tool, am I?"

"My dear, you're no different than the knives he carries. He needs you solely because he needs someone who will do his bidding. If he loved you, he wouldn't be slapping you around, now would he?"

"…"

Gently, Ivy plucked a flower and placed it in Harley's hair. "Cheer up, don't feel bad about it. You just need to understand that you don't deserve that from him."

Harley stared at the ground blankly, not replying. Absently, she took the flower out of her hair and stared at it. Then she looked up at the red-haired woman in front of her.

_Why's she looking at me that way?_

"W-what?"

"Maybe you're right, Red. Maybe we just need a little break from each other for a while…"

Ivy smiled slightly, patting Harley on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. Why don't we eat something now, huh? I bet you're hungry."

"Okay." The blonde followed her shyly, still looking somewhat troubled. "Hey, Red?"

"Yes?"

"Um…thanks. For helping me out, I mean."

"You're welcome, I guess."

Harley looked up and grinned, her blue-eyes shining. "I think we'll get along nicely, don't you?"

Ivy couldn't help returning it. "Sure. I bet we will." She wrapped her arm around the woman's shoulder.

Harley flinched slightly at the touch but said nothing. A small blush speckled her cheeks, turning her a slight shade of pink.

As they left the greenhouse, Project 88 rested in its pot on the shelf, looking slightly stronger and full of more life than ever.

XxX

_**A/N- Hey everyone!**_

_**You're probably wondering where the heck the Joker is in this story. Be patient—you'll hear from him soon. After all, where would Harley be without him?**_

_**As always, I love to hear from my reviewers. More to come very soon :)**_

_**-CAT**_


	5. Quite a Pair

Harley sat at the table, staring absently off into space as Ivy brought out the food. She seemed perfectly calm now, despite the occasional twitching of her fingers as they tapped on the table.

"Eat up," Ivy said, handing her a plate of vegetables.

Harley looked down at what was given to her and crinkled her nose. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you're a vegetarian, huh?"

Ivy smirked and dug into her plate. "You are correct. Meat is disgusting to me."

Harley stared at the plate and played with it with her fork, nibbling at a lettuce leaf every now and then. It was painfully obvious that she didn't care for vegetables that much.

"If I'm correct, you have Olympian-like abilities in gymnastics. Surely you must have eaten a lot of vegetables for that."

"I know. I did. It's just that…" Harley's voice trailed away, not wanting her new friend to know that the color green was beginning to make her feel homesick.

Ivy shrugged and nudged the woman gently. "If you're not all that hungry, you should take a shower then. You look like you need one."

Harley blinked and touched a strand of hair that hung limply in her face. "Yeah…"

Ivy took her hand and led her down the hall. "You can use my bathroom. There's towels and stuff in there for you to use. I'll also bring new clothes for you when you're done."

Before the blonde had time to reply, Ivy gently pushed her inside and let out a sigh of relief. She waited a while and tended to the plants on the window-box, cooing at them lovingly. The sound of running-water filled the background and Ivy took time to sit down and reflect.

So far, things had gone well. Harley appeared to have abandoned all her threats and tough-talk. The way she had responded in the greenhouse had pleased Ivy greatly. She had seemed like a curious child full of wonder and awe.

_But still, I've got to always be on my guard. Let's not forget that she's still incredibly insane. Knowing that, it will be a mystery when she'll be set off by something._

Ivy was questioning her own sanity. Why on earth had she sought to take this woman in? This was a dangerous madwoman that fawned over a man that everyone feared. So it didn't make sense.

_But I don't want to think of her that way. I keep looking at that bruise. Oh, Gaia, what am I to do?_

Ivy was still rubbing her temples when the water stopped. A towel-clad Harley emerged from the bathroom, flushed and wet.

"Um…Red?"

Ivy blinked. "Oh. Sorry. I still need to get you some clothes." She got up and went into the bedroom, searching through the closet. Pulling out a crimson turtle-neck and jeans, she brought them over to the still-dripping woman. Harley took the clothes without saying anything and disappeared once more in the bathroom.

Ivy was alone to think to herself again.

_I told her to stay here. I wonder what will happen if her boyfriend pays me a visit in the near future?_ _No doubt, he'll bring his whole gang with him. And then, after killing me he might trash the whole place. I've seen all the fires he likes to set. If he sets fire to his place, all my babies will die!_

She gritted her teeth, staring at the plants on the window-box.

Harley emerged again, smiling brightly. "That felt good. I needed that." She looked a lot better. Ivy guessed that living with the Joker meant that becoming grungy was a regular occurrence.

Now that Harley was fully-clean, Ivy could get a good look at her. She truly was a lot prettier—her peach-pink skin was a nice healthy color and her hair was less messy. Ivy was baffled at how oblivious Harley seemed by her figure. The blonde had a lean, strong body with some beautiful curves.

_I wonder if the Joker ever notices them…_

Ivy almost gagged at the thought.

Giggling, Harley went over to the sofa and collapsed on top of it, hanging upside-down from the side and staring up at her red-haired friend.

"This is a good place ya got here, Red," She said. "Nice and homey. I've never been in a place like this."

"What, in a house?"

Harley's brow furrowed. "Well…I mean in a full-scale house like this. I lived in a little house when I was younger, but it really wasn't as nice as this. Nowadays, I live with my Puddin' in our warehouse hideouts."

Ivy sat down on the chair across the room. "I bet that isn't really comfortable."

Harley shrugged. "I don't care. My Puddin' was there with me. And if he didn't wanna play, there were the boys."

"The boys? You mean Joker's other followers?"

"Yup. I kind of miss them—Rocco and Henshaw and Poke. I miss ole Cutter the most. He was the one I could always count on to understand me."

_I wouldn't bet on it. A name like Cutter, he must be into cutting flesh. He's probably as sadistic as the Joker, I'll bet._

Harley was staring at Ivy, watching with quiet admiration as the woman sat thinking to herself. Ivy really was very pretty. That red hair of hers was utterly gorgeous and her hips and chest looked like something carved out of a beautiful sculpture. Why Ivy didn't have a guy in her life was beyond her.

"You like jokes, Red?"

Ivy shook her head. "Not particularly."

"What a shame. Mr. J taught me all kinds of jokes."

_I'll bet he did. Jokes like hurting others and burning things._

Sitting up, Harley swung her legs back and forth, blushing shyly. "I'll bet your mom and dad are awfully proud of you, Red. You got all these plants and this nice house an' stuff."

Ivy looked down and frowned. "I don't suppose so. They're both dead. Car accident. It was years ago and it doesn't bother me anymore. We weren't terribly close as a family and they're in a better place now."

Harley's eye twitched slightly. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"What about you? Aren't your parents worried about you?"

Harley's eyes went dead and blank. "My mother is dead. And my father…"

Ivy studied Harley's face. So her mother was dead. Judging from her empty expression, her family-life must not have been all that good.

Wanting to change the subject, Ivy went over and gave Harley a gentle pat on the shoulder. "You look kind of tired. Perhaps you should take a nap? You're still sort of recovering and you need your energy."

"Yeah," Harley agreed, lying down. "Yeah. I'm tired now…"

"Alright. I'll get you back up later then."

"Okay…" Harley's eyes were already half-closed. She let out a steady exhale and shut them completely, turning over on the sofa.

Ivy dimmed the lights and walked back towards the window-box. She stroked the petals of one of her roses and sighed.

"We're very different," she told the plants. "I can tell that already. But I see a lot of potential in her, my babies." She looked back at the sleeping woman on the sofa. "I just hope that something good will come to this."

_And perhaps it will. Harley really doesn't seem that dangerous. It seems like she just needs some guidance above all else. I must do what I can to help her out._

Smiling slightly, she continued to stroke the petals.

_Yes, I'll do what I can for her, damn the consequences. If the Joker were to come here, I'll give him what for. What an odd couple—me and a clown-girl! _

From the other room, Harley let out a small groan and turned over again. Ivy went back towards her and stood over her.

She was going to take care of this woman. Come what may, she'd see to it that this woman would stand on her own two feet again.

She swore it.


	6. Meanwhile

The Joker stretched and grumbled, cracking his knuckles and frowning.

The hideout they were in was a disastrous wreck. The bathroom was putrid, the bed sheets were tattered, and the place utterly reeked.

Licking his lips, he scratched himself and eyed the half-drunken glass of scotch on the nightstand. The inside of his mouth tasted like sour dirt, making him turn away from the scotch and get to his feet.

He'd been debating what to do now that the Batman was running around. Perhaps he'd randomly blow up a bank or an orphanage or something—just to get old Batsy's attention. Stuff like that usually worked. On any other day, the idea would have pleased him.

So why wasn't he happy now?

Harley had gone off somewhere a few days ago. He didn't mind really—he needed some peace and quiet. Plus, he found that his mind was so much _clearer_ when he didn't have her running her hands all over him, giggling beside him and following him around.

Still…where _had_ she gone to? To Arkham Asylum? To oblivion?

Growling to himself under his breath, he entered the main warehouse room and watched in delight as his henchmen clamored over each other to look presentable for him.

"Cutter, any news on dear old Batsy?"

The older man stood as straight as a soldier, not wanting to displease his boss. "None so far, boss."

"That's what I feared. Methinks he's been hunting for bigger enemas at the moment—perhaps Crane. What should we do, I wonder?"

Poke was trembling with eagerness. "We should cause a bit of mayhem, boss. Blow a few more things up. If we keep doing it, that'll get his attention for sure."

The cousins, Rocco and Henshaw, nodded wordlessly.

The Joker grinned. Harley would have piped up with some harebrained scheme. But not his boys. They knew exactly what he wanted to hear.

Cutter crept forward slowly, keeping his eyes low to the ground. "Boss? I know this is a bad time to mention it but…don't you think we should be looking for Harley?"

He whirled on Cutter and towered over him, holding up his knife and licking his lips furiously. "And just what makes you think we need her, hm?"

Cutter was shaking but his gaze was firm, looking Joker in the eye. "She's useful, boss. You must admit that. She goes to extraordinary lengths to help you. And besides, right now we need all the help we can get."

"…"

"Sir, with all due respect, you must understand what she means to this team…and what she must mean to you."

The Joker glared at Cutter and said nothing. He simply scowled, shoved Cutter to the ground, and began to tromp back into his main quarters, disgruntled and more befuddled than he was willing to admit.

_Harley…_

Taking a slice at the wall with his knife, he crawled back into the bed and tore absentmindedly at the sheets, shredding them to ribbons.

_When she comes back, I'm going to give her a good hard spanking. And then maybe a little bit of strangling. Yes…some strangling would be nice._

Chuckling to himself, he shut his eyes and fell back into a listless doze, listening to the sounds of car-horns outside.

XxX

Cutter leaned against a stack of wooden boxes, staring vacantly into the shadows. The cigarette in his hand was smoldering and fading.

"Harley," he said softly in the darkness. "Harley, where are you?"

The darkness gave no answer; it simply hovered around him like a mist.

From across the room, Poke was giddily setting fire to an unlucky water-bug that had crawled in through the cracks of the wall. The cousins simply sat there, staring at each other in silence.

_I wonder if they miss her as much as I do…_

He hoped she was safe, wherever she was. He hoped that she would come back soon. Though the boss had seemed quite happy at her sudden departure, Cutter knew that in his own way, the boss missed her.

Deciding that he needed some fresh air, Cutter quietly excused himself outside and stared out into the vast landscape, watching the bright lights of Gotham City in the murky distance.

He remembered watching the light with his daughter long ago. He remembered the way she held his hand and smiled up at him. But she was gone now…worm's food. There was nothing but himself and his allegiance with the Joker.

And there was also Harley.

Harley—that blind, foolish, brilliant girl-woman that he had fought beside. Those blue eyes that had captured his heart from day one. The smile on her face that he had cherished, whether it be happy or deranged.

Surely she was not gone for good. She loved the Joker too much. She must be out there somewhere, biding her time and recovering. He had to believe that.

Staring up at the yellow moon, he sighed and threw his cigarette to the ground, crushing it with his foot.

"Be safe," he whispered. "That's all I ask."


	7. Tending to the Garden

Ivy groaned and opened her eyes, sitting up in bed and rubbing her forehead. There was a distinct sound of rummaging coming from the kitchen.

Weakly, she glanced at the clock. 5:36.

_Great. 5:36 in the morning and she's up. Better go see what she's doing._

She got to her feet and shuffled her way down the stairs towards the kitchen. Coming around the corner, her sleep-bleared eyes shot wide open.

Harley had somehow managed to climb on top of the refrigerator and was now reaching for the highest part of the pantry. She was holding a box of graham-crackers and there were crumbs all over her face. Seeing Ivy, her eyes expanded and she forced a sheepish smile.

"Hey, Red. You're up early."

"What the hell are you doing!"

Harley gently lowered her reaching arm and began to shimmy back down. "I got a little…hungry. And you, uh…sort of keep all the tasty food in the really high up places."

In a childish fashion, she attempted to hide the box of graham-crackers behind her back, wiping her face nervously. She looked scared, as if she were expecting to be struck.

And it was that look that caused Ivy's bewildered anger to melt away.

"Look," she said, coming forward. "I don't have a problem with you eating my food. That's alright. But you shouldn't try to pull off stupid stunts like that. You should have just told me. You could have fallen off the top of the fridge and gotten yourself hurt."

Harley grinned and shrugged. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that! I do stuff like that all the time." To demonstrate, she did a powerful backflip, soaring briefly in the air and landing a few feet away. Ivy was baffled.

"See? I was already a good gymnast. But for Mr. J I worked on perfecting my skills and now I bet I'd leave most athletes perplexed."

Ivy blinked and walked over towards the blonde, placing a careful, but affectionate hand on her shoulder. "Just be careful. I don't want-!"

The shirt-sleeve of Harley's left-shoulder slipped down slightly, revealing a scar on her upper-shoulder blade.

**J + H**

How nauseating! How had she not noticed it before? This woman had done this to herself and the thought of it was sickening. Ivy's grip on Harley's shoulders seemed to tighten and she stared into the woman's confused face.

_Why would you do such a thing to yourself? You're not a cow to be branded. He's not your owner. Nobody owns you but you. _

Harley looked down at the pale fingers that were clutching her tightly. "Red? What's the matter?"

"…" Ivy's teeth gritted, tearing her gaze away from the scar. "Nothing. Nevermind." She released her grip and walked away, going over towards the kitchen-counter and resting on it.

Harley began to resume gobbling up the graham-crackers, eyeing Ivy cautiously. "I don't know why ya had to keep all the good food so high up. I've been craving these goodies for ages!"

Ivy sighed and rubbed her temples. "I bought all that stuff because it was cheap. Truth is, I never even touch it. Why I haven't trashed it by now is a mystery."

"Maybe you're a psychic," Harley said with her mouth full. "You might have known that I'd be crashing her." Frowning when she saw that there were no more crackers to be eaten, she tossed the empty box in the wastebasket and crept up beside Ivy.

"Your eyes are all bloodshot, Red. I didn't mean to wake you. I'd like to go back to bed but I can't seem to get to sleep."

"No…it's okay. There's no point going back to sleep now that I'm already up. I think I'll work on the garden in the greenhouse."

"Can I come too?"

"Of course," Ivy replied with a tired smile. "I'd actually prefer it if you would."

_I have to keep a close eye on her. I swore that I'd look after her and that's exactly what I'm going to do. _

XxX

"Wow," Harley breathed as she watched Ivy water Project 88. "I think it's gotten stronger since yesterday, Red. Look how much more colorful it is."

Ivy smiled with satisfaction. Harley was right. Project 88's sky-blue color had grown even more beautiful and it seemed to stand up a lot straighter. "I'm glad. I didn't think it was going to last much longer, to be honest."

She handed the pot over to Harley, who stared at it thoughtfully. "Y'know what I think? I think you should bring it into the main house. Maybe all it needs is a little company to make it strong. Don't ya think that's a good idea?"

Ivy shrugged. "Perhaps. I'll consider it." She looked over towards the vegetable garden and smiled over at Harley. "Why don't you help me pick some tomatoes? They're about ripe now and I could use some help."

"Me? Help? Well…" Harley looked slightly unsure of herself, blushing slightly.

Ivy brushed the dirt off her apron and tugged her along. "Come on. It isn't hard. It's just _picking_ for god's sake."

Harley watched as she gently pulled the ripe red figures, hypnotized at how graceful and elegant Ivy's hands were when they handled them. Ivy held a tomato in front of Harley's face, letting her smell and feel it.

"Go on then. Help me pick."

So shyly, Harley crouched down alongside the curvy red-haired woman and began to pick the tomatoes with her, careful not to splatter them all over the place.

"You're doing really well," Ivy told her as they placed the tomatoes into a basket. "See? There's nothing to it."

_This is such a simple task…I wonder why she didn't think she'd be able to do it properly? Has he broken down her self-esteem that much? To the point where she can't do something as simple as plucking a tomato on her own? Looks like I've got my work cut out for me._

Ivy wondered if she would even reach the woman. After all, she had been with the Joker for quite some time now. The emotional and mental changes he had given her were probably very deeply scarred into her subconscious by now.

But despite this, it was as if Harley was no longer a wanted criminal that was staying with her. Now, she was nothing more than this insecure girl-woman, nervous and unable to understand her own worth.

When all the tomatoes were picked, Ivy began to work on the soil, forming it to her liking. Timidly, Harley leaned over her shoulder and, to Ivy's surprise and delight, rested her head on top of it. "Can I help with this too, Red?"

"Sure. You do it like this…"

And they continued to work together, getting their hands dirty with the thick brown soil until they both reeked of the earth. Harley was grinning when it was all over, looking slightly less shy and more proud of herself.

"How did I do, Red?"

"Very well. I bet you didn't know that you were good with gardening, Harley."

A deep-red blush colored Harley's face, making her squirm slightly on the spot. "That's nice of ya to say, Red. But I don't really think I'm all that good. You're better at this than I am."

Again, Ivy wrapped an arm around Harley's shoulder, watching with delight as Harley's face got even redder. "You just might get better at it in time. I'll help you put any way that I can."

Harley's shoulders sank beneath the weight of her arm and she stared into Ivy's face with something like adoration. "Really, Red? You'll help me?"

"Of course. Always."

Any trace of fierceness that still existed within Harley seemed to melt away right then and there. Her eyes grew rounder and more childlike than before, making her face light up. It was a promising look; one that made Ivy very pleased with herself.

She gently placed a hand on Harley's head and ruffled her hair affectionately. Harley grinned and stared off into space with a docile expression in her eyes.

_Yes, I'll have my work cut out for me…but for her, it just might be worth it._

XxX

_**A/N- I know what you're all thinking. The subject of the possible romance between Harley and Ivy has been debated for a long time amongst Batman fans. Many genuinely believe that they have a romantic relationship with one another.**_

_**So naturally, I'll bet you all are interested in seeing where I'm going to go with this story, lol.**_

_**Personally, I do believe that there is something of a romance going on between them. Mostly though, I believe that there exists more of a family-like bond going on than anything else. But I do not deny that they are romantically entwined—if only until the Joker arrives.**_

_**So in this story, I shall leave it all up to you, the readers. I'm going to try to make it as ambiguous as possible to satisfy both the believers and the non-believers. For now, they're really just friends and nothing more. It's up to you to decide if the moments between them that follow are romantic or not. And besides, things are more fun when there's a level of ambiguity afoot. ;)**_

_**So more to come soon. I do hope you all will keep reading. **_

_**-CAT**_


	8. Girls' Night Out

Ivy was beginning to adjust to her new friend, letting her slowly worm her way into her life little by little.

It really hadn't taken long for her to figure out how much of a kid Harley really was. Despite being only three years younger than Ivy (which meant that she was probably either 25 or 26), Harley didn't appear to be able to grasp the concept of acting her age.

She was constantly hyperactive, bouncing all over the place and giggling. She'd hover around the television watching cartoons and singing the theme-songs obnoxiously out loud. She'd spend hours doodling silly pictures with crayons and posting them up on the fridge, all the while pretending that they were works of art. She never ceased to playfully try to pester Ivy when she was in the middle of her plant-researching.

"What ya doing, Red? What's with all the green-liquid and needles?"

"It's something I'm developing for myself. I have a theory that it will be the ticket to total immunization of all toxins and poisons."

"Wow! How will it work? When will it be ready? Are you really going to test it on yourself?"

Questions, questions everywhere. Harley never tired of asking questions. It could really get quite annoying. Before, Ivy had been content to live her life peacefully and without much noise and excitement. But with Harley now in the picture, such irritations were becoming more and more present.

She really was just like a child—an overgrown, wide-eyed child that just so happened to be wanted in several states. It was as if the dangerous, animal-like woman from a few days ago had been replaced with this bubbly blonde grade-schooler!

Harley's intelligence sometimes baffled her. Sometimes, she'd be quoting Shakespeare and spilling out interesting pieces about the human psyche and the next she'd completely forget what she was talking about and would proceed to ask an aggravatingly stupid question that required common knowledge.

_She must be seriously mentally-warped. It's like she's forgotten everything about being an adult._

Ivy often wondered what Harley had been like before the Joker. From what she had seen on television, Harley had appeared to be a bright, gentle doctor that had never seemed to be the type that would go on a rampage.

_Dr. Harleen Quinzel. That was her name before all of this._

But when Ivy had tried to get her to respond to that name, Harley had simply stared at her blankly.

Who was Dr. Quinzel? Had she been so desperately lonely that she needed to latch onto a man like the Joker? Was she the victim of brainwashing or had she willingly changed herself for him?

Ivy would never really know. She knew only one thing: she was stuck with this girl-woman for quite a while. It was her responsibility to get her back on her feet. She'd bear with Harley's childishness as long as it took.

XxX

"I wish I could go outside tonight, Red. I'll bet there's plenty to do around Gotham."

Ivy looked up from the table where she was examining her newest brand of plant-liquids. "That isn't a good idea. The last thing you want is to be seen and caught. They'd lock you up."

Harley sighed loudly and looked out the window wistfully. "I know. But I'm _bored_. Mr. J always used to take me out. We'd run all over the place havin' fun."

_And by 'fun' I'm assuming blowing up random cars or killing off mob bosses._

"I don't want you getting caught, Harley. If the GCPD catches you, I won't be able to help you."

Another loud sigh.

Ivy ignored it and went back to focusing on her plants, smiling as she stroked the petals of one of her newer creations. Occasionally, she'd take a few notes as she inspected the plants' growth and development.

Harley glared off into the horizon outside the window and grumbled under her breath. "No wonder you never leave this place. You don't even have a car!"

"Yes I do. I just don't like using it. So I keep it in the garage and use it for emergencies."

"I don't believe you. I never saw it. Plus, I don't see any car keys lying around this place."

"That's because they're in the garage too. I told you that I didn't see the point in driving if it was bad for the environme—"

Ivy's eyes widened as a huge grin appeared on Harley's face.

_Fuck!_

Harley had shot off like a bullet towards the garage, leaving Ivy to jump from her seat and run after her.

_Damnit, damnit, damnit! How could I have been so stupid? _

Now she would steal the car and drive off to her Joker, leaving Ivy behind.

_Well I won't let her! I won't let her ditch like that! She's not going to steal my car!_

She shrieked as Harley began to back-up her convertible out of the driveway, laughing giddily. In one huge leap, she pounced into the backseat just as the car got onto the road.

"I didn't know ya wanted to come along," Harley giggled. "I thought you were busy, Red."

"Get out of the car."

Harley giggled again and shook her head. "Sorry, Red. We're going someplace fun!"

_Great. She's going to drive back to the Joker and I'm going with her! _

Harley gently pushed her back. "Better buckle-up, Red. Just relax and I'll do the driving."

Harley drove like a bat out of Hell, swerving and sliding all over the place and making Ivy want to empty her stomach. She didn't want to see the Joker. It was like she was being driven to her death. The Joker would hurt Harley and then he would deal with her.

_Harley…I trusted you…_ She closed her eyes and fought the urge to throw up, holding her head in her hands as Harley skidded wildly on the road, occasionally honking the horn. Then, mercifully, the car came to a halt.

_We must be…at the Joker's lair then._

"Ya look sick, Red. You okay? Well…you'll feel better after this. We're here."

Ivy opened her eyes and blinked. It was this little building with a large neon sign.

**The Gotham Trapdoor**

_What in all the hells…is this…a __**club?**_

Harley smiled and yanked Ivy out of her seat. "Come on! You'll like this place!"

"So…you just wanted to go to a nightclub?"

"Yup. And this place really is the best. Mr. J and I used to go here sometimes. It's the only place where we can be without anyone trying to snatch us up."

Harley went over the entrance and tapped on the door, giving Ivy the thumbs-up sign.

Two eyes appeared from an opening and a low voice spoke. "What do you want?"

"We're lookin' for some fun," Harley replied with a grin.

"This ain't no place for a couple of girlies. Go somewhere else."

Harley's friendly grin turned malicious and she leaned up closer towards the door. "That's no way to talk to the clown princess of crime."

The eyes widened. "You're….?"

"Me and my friend here want in. So let us in."

"Yes…of course. My apologies…." The eye-hole closed and the doors opened.

Harley looked back at Ivy and pulled at her wrist. "See? Nothing went wrong. He recognized me even without my costume. Let's go, Red!"

Before Ivy could protest, she was led inside to a darkened clubroom. The heavy scent of alcohol and cigarettes filled her nostrils and she felt her head reel. There was a sort of crude show going on the stage but she didn't stop to watch it. Harley led her towards the bar and sat her down while she leaned on the counter.

"Harley…is this really okay?"

Harley grinned and swatted at her. "Course it is. Puddin' knows the owner y'see. Told you, we used to come here all the time. In fact, there he is now. HEY, HENNY!"

A short, bald man with a moustache blinked and rushed towards Harley. "Harley Quinn? Just what are you doing here?"

"Me an' my buddy Red came to chill out."

"If you're here then where's…?"

Harley frowned slightly, lowering her eyes. "Mr. J and I…well we're taking a sort of break." Then the malicious grin came back and she leaned close into the man's face. "But you won't tell anyone, will you Henny?"

"Er…no. Of course not. What can I do for you ladies? A drink?"

Harley clapped Henny on the back. "Just what I wanted to hear! Lay 'em on us, Henny-boy. The usual."

"Right." He left them to sit.

Ivy looked around the room, disgusted at the way some of the men in the place were staring at her. "Harley, I don't think this is a good idea. There are plenty of…unsavory characters around here."

"It's all in your head, Red. Chill out and have some fun! This is exactly what I've been missing—a night out. They're not the type to say anything to the GCPD. They're all criminals y'see. Henny probably figures he gets on their good side by catering to them."

_So then…I'm surrounded by a bunch of dangerous hooligans? Harley, you idiot. What are you getting me into?_

"Here are your drinks, ladies," Henny said when he had returned.

Harley downed her drink in a single gulp, motioning for another. "I actually don't usually drink," she told Ivy sheepishly. "But I'm in the mood for it now."

Ivy sniffed the liquid and didn't touch it, instead looking warily about and squirming in her seat.

"It's good to see you again, Harley," Henny was saying over the loud music. "I hope your boss knows that there's always an open seat in here for him when he wants it."

Harley swallowed her second drink. "That's up for him to choose," she said in a melancholy voice.

"Certainly you'll tell him, right?"

Harley looked at Ivy and then up at Henny. Dark shadows started to appear under her eyes. "Go away, Henny. I don't want to talk about Mr. J right now."

Henny shrugged and was off, sneering slightly when she couldn't see him.

"Harley," Ivy said gently. "Let's go back home. I don't want to be in here."

Harley leaned back and downed her third drink, beginning to look quite red in the face. "Aw, lay off, Red. Live a little. We're fine right now."

Ivy put her hand firmly on Harley's shoulder, staring at her sternly. "We need to go back. I don't want to stay here."

Harley regarded her coolly with red-rimmed eyes. "I wanna have some fun." She stirred her finger in the liquid and stared blankly into its contents. "I'm a free gal now. No Puddin' to tell me no…" Her hands were trembling.

"_Harley_…"

The blonde cocked her head and sipped at her drink thoughtfully. "Ya really don't wanna be here, huh?"

"Let's go back. You look like you need to go to bed anyway. Let's go back…"

"Hey pretty-lady," a large, stubbly man said loudly. "What a beautiful girl like you doin' here? Lookin' for a good time?" He placed a heavy hand on Ivy's shoulder, making her cringe. "Why don't you come with me, baby…I'll give you a night to remember."

Ivy growled and slapped his hand away. "Get lost! Leave me alone!"

"Aw come on…how's about one little kiss. Just one? I'd kill to have your pretty little lips all over—"

Without hesitation, Ivy slapped him roughly on the face, making him reel back.

"You…you _fucking bitch_! Nobody does that to Hal Rockway—leader of the Rockway-gang! I'll make you fucking pay for that!" Motioning towards a group of men, they surrounded the two women, chuckling and growling.

Harley wobbly got to her feet and turned to face Hal, who was three-times her size. "Beat it, chump. Leave her alone." Her eyes had hardened and that fierce look had returned to them.

Hal Rockway and his crew laughed. "Well I'll be! Looks like we've got ourselves a little tough-girl here! Whatcha gonna do, sweetie? Give me a spanking?"

Harley gritted her teeth and grinned dangerously. "Get lost now before you regret it."

More laughter. Ivy shrunk back behind Harley and waited to see what would happen.

"I don't think we're goin' anywhere," Hal said and he reached for Harley. "I think me and my boys will—"

Harley grabbed his arm and slammed him into a table, kicking him in the face. The boys charged at her and Ivy, hollering and pulling out their guns. Harley moved swiftly and dodged their firings, knocking the guns out of their hands and whipping out her knife. Seeing the sharp object pointed at them, they gasped and pulled back, running like frightened dogs.

Grinning, Harley went over to where Hal was laying and leaned over him, holding her knife close to his throat.

Hal's eyes widened. "I know you. Y-you're Harley Q-Quinn…the Joker's main s-squeeze…"

"That's right," Harley said with a demonic smirk. "And if you ever threaten my friend like that again, I shall kill you." She turned to Ivy. "But since you're sitting there so nicely…wanna have a go at him, Red?"

Ivy went forward and kicked the man in the face, glaring at him as he whined in pain. "Jerk…"

Harley pulled at her once more. "Let's go back now." Her face was still red, no doubt from the three drinks she'd had. She stumbled as they began to make their way towards the door. Ivy had to support her so that she wouldn't fall.

"I'll drive this time," she said gently as Harley staggered into the backseat. "I hope that was enough fun for you. Don't expect me to put up with that again."

Harley chuckled and leaned back. "Too bad it had to end so soon. I hope word of this doesn't spread through Gotham…long as Henny keeps his mouth shut that is." She giggled and stared out the window.

"You helped me out back there, you know. You really showed that scumbag what for." She was blushing.

"I didn't want ya to get hurt, Red," Harley said softly. "I was just returning the favor for you helping me out."

_But it was more than that, Harley. You stood up to a man. Do you have any idea what significance this event had?_

In a strange sort of way, Ivy was almost glad she had experienced this crazy event.

Harley tilted her head back and grinned up at the silver moon. "What a night! Am I right, Red?"

"Yeah," Ivy breathed. "What a night…"


	9. Trust

Since last night's escapades, Ivy had made sure that Harley was kept separated from the car. It brought her some relief to know that Harley really didn't seem all that interested in going back out anyway.

Knowing that her friend stayed in the house, Ivy could finally concentrate on more important matters, such as finally forming what was needed in order to gain full immunity to toxins and poisons. Of late, she had experimented tirelessly, injecting herself with endless needles and taking notes. But so far, there was no success to be had.

On the window box, Project 88 sat alone, basking in a ray of sunlight. Ivy went over towards it and gently stroked the blue petals, cooing to it softly. Despite its increasing strength, it still had yet to bloom. Perhaps, when it bloomed, she would be able to finally discover its true purpose.

Going back to the table, she picked up another syringe and filled it with the latest brew of plant-liquid. "Maybe this one…"

Harley strode casually in and blinked, almost cowering at the sight of the needle.

"What's going on, Red? What's the needle for?"

Ivy frowned, annoyed that the blonde had decided to come in during this semi-crucial moment.

"I'm busy, Harley. If I mess this up, I could end up getting myself killed."

Harley's eyes widened and she dashed towards Ivy, knocking the syringe away. "Are ya crazy? If that stuff could kill ya, why are you messing with it?"

Ivy huffed and picked up the syringe off the floor. "It could kill me only if I inject the wrong amount into my bloodstream. I have to put just enough in to see the effects without dying." She examined the syringe, inspecting to see if anything was broken or if any of the formula had spilled.

Harley glared at the syringe and shook her head. "That stuff looks like bad news. I don't even think you know what you're doing."

Ivy sighed and held it up to her so that she could see it. "If this is successful, I will have gained full immunity from anything, Harley. I can progress even further with my work in plants knowing that I won't have to worry about being poisoned. This is a big deal."

Harley's eyebrow rose. "Is it a big enough deal that it's worth your life?"

Ivy's eyes turned very bright. "For the plants of this world…this is worth every last bit of my life."

Harley stared at her a long moment, biting her lower lip. The expression on her face was contemplative, serious.

"What is it?"

"Red…is it alright if _I'm_ the one to inject you?" Harley shrunk back a little, blushing and rocking back and forth. "Just to make sure that you don't get too carried away?"

Ivy's mouth opened slightly: she hadn't been expecting that. She looked down at the syringe that was waiting patiently in her hand and then back at Harley.

"Do you really want to do it? This is dangerous stuff. Are you not worried about killing me?" Ivy stared up at the blonde woman suspiciously, trying to read her expression.

"Don't ya trust me, Red? I mean—don't ya believe that I'll do my best to see that ya don't die?" Harley's baby-blue eyes were large and bright, looking up at her red-haired friend earnestly. "I want to help ya out, Red. So I want to be the one to inject ya."

Ivy's grip on the syringe tightened and she gazed into her friend's eyes. They were sincere and without a sign of darkness—genuine and honest. Her grip loosened slightly.

"Alright. But only when I tell you." She slowly handed the syringe over to Harley.

Harley took it and winced slightly at the sight of the needle's point, but she looked at Ivy and nodded, determined and waiting for instructions.

"When I tell you to, inject it into my arm and don't stop until I say to."

Harley's hands trembled slightly and she nodded again, watching as Ivy began to prepare herself.

"Okay…now!"

In one quick motion, Harley plunged the needle into the soft skin of Ivy's arm, wincing and whimpering slightly from the sight of the puncture. Ivy bit her lip and grunted, watching the serum sink into her body. Any minute now and she would have absorbed too much.

"Red," Harley said nervously, worried that she had injected more than was needed. "Red, when do I stop?"

"Ngh…"

"Red!"

"Now," Ivy gasped and Harley drew back the needle, dropping it on the table and leaning over Ivy.

"Red…are you okay?"

Ivy grinned and sat up. "I think…I'm alright. Let's wait a moment." The two women sat in silence, waiting for any signs of overdose. When nothing happened, Ivy stood up and smiled.

"I'm okay. Now I've got to run some blood work and see if it was a success." She began to exit to head towards the greenhouse when Harley chased after her.

"Ya want me to help out with that too?"

Ivy blushed slightly and put a gentle hand on Harley's shoulder. "You did enough. You were very helpful and I'm proud of you."

Harley's face turned a bright shade of pink and her shoulders sank low. "Proud of me? Really?"

Ivy patted her shoulder again and left, leaving her mystified friend behind to stare after her.

XxX

Ivy stared at the results and frowned.

The serum had had no effect on her immunity whatsoever. It looked like it was back to the drawing board for her.

In the living room, Harley was curled up on the couch, snoring and drooling slightly in her sleep. A small smile was stretched on her face.

Ivy went over and put a hand tenderly on her sleeping head, stroking the blonde curls.

_You did what you could to help me. I know that you didn't want to but you did anyway. _

Harley murmured something incomprehensible and let out a little sigh, leaning into Ivy's touch without knowing. Ivy crouched down to the side of the couch and continued to stroke Harley's hair, twirling it around in her fingers.

Even if the injection had had no effect, perhaps it was the thought that counted. She had given Harley her faith and Harley had not faltered in helping her. It was not something that would have happened if Harley had been any ordinary criminal.

_That settles it. Harley is different from all the other scum that infests Gotham. She's capable of honor and courage and goodness. I know it. I can see it. _

It made Ivy's resolve even stronger than before. She continued to twirl Harley's hair in her hands, admiring it in the moonlight.

_She's got such pretty hair. She used to be a brunette when she was a doctor, but I suppose being blonde is fine for her too. How could such a pretty woman fall for an ugly maniac like the Joker? He doesn't know how to properly utilize her. Look at how willingly Harley responds when given some kindness. Does he even realize that?_

Ivy realized that she was rambling to herself and shook her head. Spotting a blanket resting on the armchair across the room, she grabbed it and covered the sleeping woman with it.

_Sleep tight, Harley…_

Getting to her feet, she went back to her study, ready to start over on making a new serum. There was still plenty of work to be done.

On the window-box, Project 88 seemed to glow in the silver moonlight.

Every now and then, Ivy would put down her pencil and take the time to stare at it dreamily, listening to the quiet sounds of Harley's breathing in the background.


	10. Sun and Moon

The Joker was pacing restlessly around the warehouse, muttering under his breath. His war-paint was smeared and he reeked of gunpowder and ash. He and his boys had been out and about for many nights now, knocking off gangs and stealing what they could. It was the same-old stuff.

So then why did he feel so bored with it all?

It wasn't as if this stuff was boring to him—he loved causing some chaos and hurting a few people. So why wasn't it clicking with him the way it always had?

Growling and grinding his fists, he stared out the window into the twilight.

_Where the hell is that little idiot? She's never been gone this long before._

He didn't miss her. He just wanted her around. Yeah. That was it. After putting up with her for so long, he was trying to adjust to a life without her presence.

He watched the moon rising in the distance, contemplating what he should do on this matter. Perhaps it was best to leave things as they were for now. After all, he had never been the person to plan things out.

XxX

Harley looked out the window, lowering her shoulders and sighing.

Her heart was aching in her chest. She felt as if she were trapped under the weight of a heavy darkness—darkness greater than the shadows that danced across the wall in this room. Sitting on her knees, she watched the moon and bit her lower lip, hypnotized by the eerie silver light.

She saw his face in the light—so large and white and comforting. She missed him terribly. It was like a dagger to the chest. She knew that he didn't always treat her right, (Red had made her understand this) but she knew that being away from him was truly painful.

Ivy came sauntering in quietly, swinging those long, beautifully-formed hips of hers. She watched the blonde stare wistfully out into the horizon and shook her head. She knew what Harley was thinking about. It was no surprise to her.

Slowly, she crept closer towards the woman and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's getting late, Harl. You should get some rest."

"Rest…" Harley's voice sounded empty, like a sleepwalker's.

Ivy sat down next to her and stared into her face, trying to see what she was looking at. "Are you looking at the moon?"

"It's really pretty," Harley said breathlessly. "Mr. J and I would stare up at it sometimes when he first snatched me up. He was always fascinated with the moon. I guess I picked it up from him."

"You two would…stare at the moon together?"

"Mr. J was so good to me when I was held hostage by him. He always listened to me…he got me to laugh after so long. It had been so long since I had had some fun in my life. But he brought it all back to me."

Ivy's eyebrow rose. "You were unhappy then when you were a doctor…?"

A wave of sadness swept over Harley's features as she continued to stare. "All the other doctors weren't nice to me. They were all jealous."

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to not care what others think about you?"

"My mother didn't care two cents about me. She barely even knew I existed. So I was…all alone…" Her voice wavered a bit, sounding lost.

Ivy looked at the woman and saw that her shoulders were shaking. She hadn't known how bad Harley's family-life had been. And while she herself had not had the best relationship with her parents, I seemed Harley's had been more emotionally-crippling.

"But then," Harley went on, her voice sounding stronger. "Mr. J helped me. He let me know that he cared. And then…he taught me everything. He opened my eyes to what a joke everything is."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Psh. He fed you lies, Harley. Everything isn't a joke. You're not a joke, I'm not a joke. He broke you down and made you into his submissive little pet. A woman shouldn't have to put up with that. We're not just tools for the opposite sex to use."

Harley wasn't really listening. "Mr. J was so gentle and understanding. He looked after me and listened to what I had to say. I was so happy…"

Ivy snorted and sighed, frustrated.

"And sometimes, Red, we'd watch the sunrise. I liked that as much as watching the moonrise. And it got me to thinking—he's kind of like the sun. He's very bright and powerful and he radiates this great aura all over the place. And I'm…I guess I'm kind of like the moon. I'm only bright in the darkness after he has come to claim the land. When he's done, it all rests to me."

Ivy was looking over at Harley sadly.

_The Joker is no sun. He's smog. A dreadful cloud of smog that kills everything and everyone around him. _

"What am I then, Harley?" she asked softly. "What am I?"

Harley hesitated, still staring into the night sky. "I guess you're kind of like the sun too, Red. In your own way. I mean, isn't the sun what gives life to the plants of the world?"

Ivy smiled and ruffled Harley's hair. "That's right."

Harley nodded and continued to gaze up at the moon. "In this world, you're either a sun or a moon. If you're a sun, you're destined for power and strength."

"And if you're a moon?"

Harley's shoulders slumped. "You wander in darkness until you find your place at the top. And then you lower yourself so that the sun can rise again."

"Awfully poetic, Harley," Ivy mused. "If you hadn't gone and been a doctor, you would've made a good writer."

"Nah. I was never cut out for that kind of stuff. I had always wanted to do something with psychology. I excelled in gymnastics but I wanted more out of things. So I became a shrink at Arkham…"

"…And met the Joker."

"Yeah. I met my Puddin'…" Her eyes began to well up with tears. "Oh, Red! I miss him so much!"

She began to sob, moans tumbling out of her body as she covered her face with her hands. Instinctively, Ivy pulled her into an embrace and held her close, trying to shush her.

"It's alright…I know you miss him. But he can't hurt you now, Harley. You're safe here…"

Harley whimpered loudly and clung to the sleeve of Ivy's shirt.

"Listen to me," Ivy said. "I will never hurt you like he has. I won't strike you or threaten you or use you for my own gain like he has. Harley…you're free here. You have the right to do what you want."

Harley sniffled and stared up at her with bleary eyes. "What I want, Red?"

"That's right. And I am going to do whatever it takes to get you strong again. I promise."

"You p-promise…" Harley buried her head on Ivy's shoulder and nuzzled it timidly, cherishing this bit of affection from the often-stolid woman. Ivy cooed in her ear the same way she would do to one of her plants and wiped the woman's tears away.

"Shh…"

Very, very gently, she planted a kiss on the woman's cheek.

Harley's eyes widened and she looked up at her friend, slightly confused. Ivy blushed and wiped the rest of her tears away and helped her stand up.

"How about I brew us some tea? I think it'll do us both some good."

Harley smiled slightly and nodded in approval, finally turning her gaze away from the moon that held her lover's face so clearly in her mind.

_Yes, she's the moon, _Ivy thought to herself as she began to brew the tea. _And I am the sun. But if I am to be the sun, remember this, Harley—the sun is what sets so that the moon can rise and shine in it's own way. It is what helps the moon take it's place in the sky._

She went over towards the window and closed the blinds, joining her now-cheerful friend for a mug of tea.

It would be sunrise again in a few hours.


	11. Sister

Harley peered over Ivy's shoulder, staring down at the delicate blue petals of Project 88.

"Look how strong it's getting, Red! It'll bloom pretty soon I'll bet."

Ivy smiled and continued to water the once-sickly plant. "I certainly hope so." She looked up at Harley and examined her face. "You've got soil on your cheek, Harl. Better go wash up."

Harley nodded and disappeared briefly, leaving Ivy to herself.

For more than a week now, the woman had been thriving in her home. Ivy had done her best to include Harley in her activities and felt that she was breaking some ground in getting the woman to stand up more for herself. She'd been teaching Harley about the concept of women's inner-strength and rebellion against the dominance of mankind—trying to grind a sense of self-confidence into Harley's absorbent mind.

Sometimes, Harley could still be heard whimpering in her sleep, lost in some great void brought on by her mixed feelings for her clownish lover. The only thing Ivy could do was try to soothe her and help her push the bad thoughts and feelings away.

Looking up from her work, Ivy noticed that Harley had returned. She was about to say something when her mouth dropped open in awe.

Harley was sitting in the middle of the garden, smiling gently at the flowers and stroking the petals. A monarch butterfly had fluttered over and was perched atop one of her pigtails. A ray of sunlight seemed to make the blonde glow; giving her an utterly angelic appearance.

Was this woman really the same madwoman that Ivy had met those days ago? She was too gentle now—like a tamed animal. Without that silly white war-paint on, her face was beautiful and innocent. It seemed that her hair was beginning to turn a slight shade of brown, confirming Ivy's notion that she had once been a brunette.

Harley looked up and grinned, the butterfly floating away. "What ya lookin' at, Red? Do I still got dirt on my face?"

Ivy shook her head. "It's nothing. Sorry. I was just spacing out."

Harley got up and did a delicate cartwheel forward, landing back at Ivy's side again. "Y'know what, Red?"

"What?"

"I think we should go out to the city again. We're starting to run low on food and there's probably a store or something nearby. How's about it?"

Ivy frowned and looked up at Harley sternly. "No way. It's daylight right now and that means that it will reveal your identity even more than it did that one night."

The infamous Harley-puppy dog-eyes look.

"No way. I mean it, Harley."

The even BIGGER infamous Harley-puppy dog-eyes look.

"Cut it out. That's not going to work."

The infamous quivering lip and pout that went along with the infamous Harley-puppy dog-eyes look.

Ivy weakened. "Okay…fine. We'll go. But we need to make sure that no one recognizes you."

Harley gleefully ran in a circle and pounced into action, running out of the greenhouse and into the house, rummaging through the drawers. She pulled out a cap and placed it atop her head, giving Ivy the thumbs-up sign.

"It's going to take more than that, you know. Your face had appeared on the news, Harl. People know what you look like."

So Harley scurried over towards Ivy's closet, pulling out a large turtleneck and putting it on. It was too big for her and hung limply like a sail. Then she went over towards the mirror and examined herself.

"Still don't look unrecognizable, Red. Do ya have some spray-tan or something?"

"Why on earth would I need that?"

Harley flashed Ivy a cocky grin. "You don't fool me, Red. You're always inspecting yourself in the mirror. I'll bet you've got some spray-tan somewhere around here."

Ivy swallowed. "Maybe in the bathroom drawer…"

Harley was already running towards the bathroom, overly-large turtleneck and all, and digging through the drawer. She pulled out a half-empty bottle and held it up to Ivy.

"Come on, Red; give me a quick spray-tan. If ya make my complexion darker, I'll look a whole lot different."

Ivy hesitated. Harley had such pretty pale skin. It would be a shame to see it all dark and tanned. Was this really all worth it?

Biting her lip, she took the can and held it up to face Harley. "Turn around. It'll be just a quick tan and that's it. Hopefully, it'll fade in a few days."

Harley obeyed and soon her light peach-colored skin turned a bronzed sandy color. She looked a tad different. In fact, you would have to look very closely to figure out that it was still Harley Quinn. There was just one more thing…

"Let your hair loose. Those pig-tails might give you away."

Harley blinked. Hesitantly, she reached up and undid the ribbons that held her hair up. Her hair fell down evenly and ended just below her shoulders. To Ivy it was a beautiful sight: she had never seen the woman with her hair completely down. The brown that was coming back in her hair added a certain odd beauty to the color—not the typical ugly-roots color you'd get with others who have dyed their hair. With her hair down, Harley looked much different. It gave her a more mature look despite her childish, wide-eyed expression.

"Well? How do I look? Think they'll recognize me now?"

Ivy stared at Harley, drinking everything in. It was a silly sight—the cap and spacey turtleneck and the obvious spray-tan combined with the beauty of her pigtail-free hair. And yet it was perfect.

"You look fine," Ivy said with a smile, turning a slight shade of pink. "Should we get going now?"

XxX

Harley dumped a month's supply of marshmallows into the shopping-cart, quickly followed by a truckload of graham crackers.

"Take it easy. We can't just have the unhealthy crap that you like. We need vegetables too."

Harley looked at her a long moment and stared, almost bored. Then she dumped in another bag of marshmallows.

Ivy signed and took the cart from her, wheeling it around the corner to the next section. It was all gross meat-stuff. She was about to turn away when she felt Harley's glare piercing her from behind.

"Alright, alright. We'll get some meat too."

Harley giddily grabbed the first thing that looked like hamburger-meat and dumped it into the cart, skipping to the next aisle.

Shopping with Harley wasn't easy. Harley was constantly grabbing at objects and trying to sneak off with them under her turtleneck, which Ivy had to always keep an eye on. Sometimes, Harley would make off with the cart altogether and Ivy would have to chase off after her.

After the fifth time of catching up with Harley, Ivy found the woman in the cereal-aisle. The blonde was reaching for the last box of extra-sugary cereal when a large woman grabbed it first.

Harley frowned and tapped the woman. "Hey lady, I was sort of going to take that."

"Well I got to it first."

Harley's frown grew wider. "Yeah, but I kind of really sort of want it."

The woman sniffed and looked down at Harley snottily. "That's too bad I'm afraid. I'm going to pay for it."

"But _look_ at you! Lady, ya don't _need_ this stuff!"

The woman glared and turned a shade of red. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well nothing. It's just that you're kind of big and—"

"Oh _there_ you are!" Ivy interrupted. "I've been looking for you." She turned towards the fuming woman and flashed her best smile. "You'll have to excuse my sister. She's a bit unwell in the head. She just says random things all the time."

"Well you keep her under control. She's got quite a nerve." The woman trudged off, cereal in hand.

Harley's eyes widened and she looked up at Ivy. "Sister? Why'd ya call me that?"

"Well…ah…I just needed to have an excuse or something. Come on. Let's go pay for all of this."

"But I didn't get my cereal!"

"The hell with your cereal. Come on."

As they made their way towards the check-out line, Ivy wondered why she had gone as far as referring to Harley as her sister. She could have simply referred to her as her friend. So why sister then?

Harley stood submissively at Ivy's side, keeping her head low so as not to draw any more attention towards herself. Yawning, she leaned forward and nuzzled Ivy affectionately, showing her thanks for the food. Ivy blushed and gave her a pat before going forward in line to purchase the groceries.

_Sister huh? We don't look related by any means. But perhaps she is a sort of little sister to me. She's certainly as immature and clingy as one. _

"Have a nice day," the cashier said as the two women walked out.

Harley let out a sigh of relief. "Good thing they didn't recognize me, huh, Red?"

"Yeah. Good thing."

_I always wanted to be an older sibling. Growing up as an only-child, I guess I never got to take care of someone…_

Well she had someone now—a loony, juvenile angel-demon of a woman that dragged her out to go shopping for food.

Harley sang obnoxiously to the radio all the way back, opening and closing the window to stick her head out.

Ivy drove on, rolling her eyes and grinning slightly.

_Look at me—actually daring to call this wanted-lunatic my sister. It's utterly absurd!_

And yet Ivy was comfortable with it. It gave her a sense of warmth that she hadn't felt for a long time.

And that was all she needed for now.

XxX

_**Hey, everyone!**_

_**Sorry this chapter came so late. I went to Vegas y'see.**_

_**Anyway, things are hunky-dory between Harley and Ivy so far but I promise it'll get a bit darker in the chapters ahead. **_

_**-CAT**_


	12. Rumors Afoot

Gotham city was abuzz with news.

The madwoman known as Harley Quinn had been sighted several times in different places. And, more importantly, she appeared to be not with the Joker or by herself. Some other woman was with her. Granted, the other woman's identity had yet to be revealed, but she was with Harley Quinn all the same.

Some people thought that it was all hogwash and that Harley had fled from Gotham City entirely—fleeing to some other city like Metropolis. Perhaps the clown-girl had finally given up on being a baddie and had sought a new life somewhere else.

Others (Which were the majority) believed that she was still lurking around and lying low before returning back to the Joker's side and causing havoc for the city. And this mystery-woman, whoever she was, was apparently someone who had become quite close to her.

"I hear that they're plotting together for some big mass-bombing of the city."

"I hear that they're lovers. I guess the Joker wasn't enough to satisfy her."

All over the place, the people of Gotham whispered gossip to each other, adding new little tidbits of information to the story.

"I'll bet that they're not only lovers, but having a threesome with the Bat! Why else haven't we seen him around lately? Ha ha ha…"

"Maybe this new woman is really the Joker in drag! Or who knows? Perhaps the freak had a sex change! Hee hee hee…"

And soon, things started to get ridiculous.

"I think that the woman is really an alien and that she abducted the Joker's dame."

"Nah, she's really working for the government. I hear that she caught the clown-chick and recruited her for some special force that fights off other criminals."

An endless stream of babblings all over the city—drifting high and low around every street-corner and every alleyway.

And that included the Joker's lair.

XxX

"Boss, calm down—"

"A _woman_! Why the HELL would Harley scamper off like that for a fucking _woman_?"

Cutter bowed his head and stared at the floor. "I'm just repeating what I've heard, boss. I don't even entirely believe it all."

The war-painted man fumed and punched at a glass mirror hanging from the wall. "This is getting out of hand, Cutter my boy. We've got to find that little idiot before everything goes down the crapper."

"I've heard talk that she was spotted at The Trapdoor, boss," Poke piped up. "We should probably pay old Henny a visit and ask him about it."

The Joker stared at his reflection through the fragments of broken glass and scowled. His fists were shaking more than they even had in his whole life. His heart thundered madly in his chest and he could feel his scars stretching painfully down as his frown grew.

"The Trapdoor…"

"That's right, boss. We could ask Henny. I'm sure he would know." Poke's hands twitched nervously as he gave his both the biggest, cheesiest smile he could manage.

The Joker was silent for a long time. His arms lowered until they hung limply at his sides and he turned away from his two shaking henchmen.

"Fine then. Go round up Rocco and Henshaw. Get them ready."

Cutter and Poke nodded and left the clown to stare blankly out the window.

"I think he's upset," Poke told Cutter as they made their way towards the henchmen's quarters.

"You think? I would be bothered too if I heard rumors that my girlfriend was hanging around some woman."

Poke grinned. "I'm hoping I'll get to make some pretty fires out of this if we have to threaten Henny."

Cutter rolled his eyes. "Let's hope that we can find Harley before the boss goes utterly ballistic."

Reaching the henchmen's quarters, they woke up the cousins, shaking the two of them with rough urgency.

"What's going on?" Rocco and Henshaw asked drowsily at the same time.

"Better look alive boys," Cutter said grimly. "We've got work to do."


	13. Longing

Ivy knew that she was changing.

It hadn't occurred to her that her life would change when a childish clown-woman entered it. There had never been anything too odd about her life, save for her obsession with plants and her strange experiments.

And yet something inside of her was shifting, a part of her that she hadn't considered she'd feel—affection and tenderness. Harley sparked those emotions within her and they burned as strongly as a flame, filling her to the brim with emotion.

She remembered the last time she had felt like this. Years ago, when she had been a college student, she had loved a man with all her heart and soul. Jason Woodrue had been her world, her night and day, her stars and galaxies. They had shared their theories and passion for class as they held each other in the darkness. She worshiped the ground he stood on and did whatever he asked of her. It had been so unbearably perfect.

And then she had found out.

Not only had he been using her for his own gain, he had been with another woman. Ivy's heart had shattered into fragments and she could only watch helplessly as the man she had loved vanished from her life. So in the end, there was nothing there but her plants.

Woodrue had been the turning point in her life, the one who had driven her away from men entirely. She supposed she could thank him—after all, he was the one who had given her the desire to live alone with her plants. Looking back on it, Ivy hated him and what he had done to her. He had abused her precious love for him and had left her astray.

_Just like the Joker has for Harley…_

She recognized why Harley had become appealing for her: she had been the same way she herself had been years ago. But while Ivy had grown strong from her heartbreak, Harley had weakened like a wilting flower.

But the burning desire to revive that flower was precisely what drew Ivy to her. She did all she could to coach Harley; giving her daily motivational lectures, praising her skills, and pushing at her to act strong.

So there was that. And yet there was more to it. There was more to the aching tug that Ivy got whenever she gazed at the sunny blonde woman.

_But what?_

"Look at this, Red," Harley said as she performed a graceful cartwheel. "I think I've improved my technique a bit."

The former Joker-girlfriend was grinning proudly. Her hair, upon an hour or so of careful dyeing, was blonde again and shined healthily in the sunlight. Her cheeks, bruise-free, were a light pink and colored with giddiness. To Ivy, she looked like a happy little sprite.

"You have indeed, Harl." Ivy reached over and took her newest syringe from the table, wincing a bit as she injected the newest serum into her arm.

Harley frowned. "More needles again, Red? Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit at this point?"

Ivy smiled and ruffled the woman's hair. "Nope. I'm going to keep at it. I'm bound to find a valid immunity-serum eventually."

"Well don't hurt yourself. I dunno what I would do if I found ya all sick from it. Don't get sick alright, Red?"

Ivy blinked and touched the woman's cheek warmly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Harley breathed in sharply at the touch. It looked as if she had almost winced at first at the sight of contact. But with the feeling of Ivy's graceful, gentle fingertips against her, she calmed and stared blankly out into space.

Ivy wondered what was going through her head. Did Harley feel that this sort of contact was uncomfortable? Was she not expecting it?

Harley pulled away and scampered towards the shelf where Project 88 rested. "Okay. So…about this thingie…we've got to pick out a name for it, Red. I'm sick of calling it 'Project 88'. It sounds like the name of a goofy sci-fi film."

Ivy shrugged. "I'm waiting for the right moment, Harl. It still hasn't bloomed yet. Give it some time."

Harley frowned. "But I don't wanna wait! Why can't it bloom already?"

"It's recovering, but it still has a lot of growing to do. Treat it too roughly and it'll start wilting and shriveling again."

Harley growled and set the pot down, stomping towards the house. Patiently, Ivy followed her.

Harley could be so edgy at times. Her moods often swayed like a pendulum. Sometimes she'd be endearing and gentle, other times she'd regress back to that dark, manic person Ivy had met weeks ago. For the most part, Harley had never become dangerous again.

At least, until that one day.

It had all begun innocently enough—she and Harley had been watching the television. A report had been broadcasted on GCN that the Joker had been spotted several places, including The Trapdoor.

The mere mentioning of his name had made Harley breathe in sharply. Her eyes had become fixated on the screen with rapt attention.

To which Ivy had shut the television off.

Harley scowled and looked over at Ivy. "Why'd ya do that? I was watching it!"

"You don't need to hear stuff like that, Harl."

"Why can't I?"

"You know why."

Harley's eyes had hardened then, turning dark and deadly. "Who cares about that? What if I just wanna hear about him? What's wrong with that?"

"It isn't a good idea. He's bad for you remember, Harley?"

Harley stood up and screamed. "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME? YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!"

Ivy shrunk back slightly, not used to this aggression. "Harley—"

"You don't understand, Red."

"Harley…I'm trying to help you. You know how wrong he's acted towards you."

Harley crossed her arms and snarled at her. She stalked into a corner of the room and turned to face the wall.

Timidly, Ivy got up from the chair and walked towards her, trying to figure out what to say. Peering over Harley's shoulders, she noticed with horror that Harley's nails had dug into the flesh of her arms, bringing blood.

"Harley!"

She spun Harley around to face her and held her by the shoulders. Their eyes met—deep jungle-green to baby-blue. Harley stared blankly at her at first, still with that look of feral aggression lingering about her features. And then she began to cry, tears spilling down her cheeks like a stream.

Ivy was about to embrace her, hold her comfortingly in her arms, when something frightening happened. Harley tilted her head back and began to laugh.

It was a laugh that sent shivers down Ivy's spine. Even some of the plants on the window box in the kitchen seemed to shrink back from it. It was high-pitched and hysterical. It was the laugh of a demon. Harley's eyes were still streaming tears, but her lips were twisted into a frantic, crazed smile as her body wracked with the hellish laughter.

The emotion that was tugging at Ivy flared up and she had slapped the woman cleanly across the face, shaking her until the laughter died down.

"Stop that! Harley!"

Harley's smile faded and she blinked. The feral look in her eyes cleared up and her lip quivered as she felt the sting of the slap.

"R-Red…?"

She looked down at the blood on her arms that her nails had caused and began to shriek. Ivy took hold of her and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a hug.

"Come on…hush now. It's okay. You're okay now…"

"I'm so sorry, Red! I don't know what happened! I…I…"

"Shhh…"

She had given Harley one of her specially-prepared plant-made sedatives, letting the woman sleep in her bed as the drug sent her off into slumberland. Harley had whimpered and clung to Ivy's arm.

And then it had happened.

"Red…Red…"

Ivy leaned over gently to brush a stray lock of hair out of Harley's face. "Hush now. I'm here."

"Stay with me please…"

Ivy's eyes widened. Never had she felt so needed in her life. Her heart was leaping in her chest.

This woman, this pathetic, broken-doll of a woman needed her desperately. She needed more than a friend and a sister and a surrogate-mother. She needed someone to look after her with love, someone who cared deeply for her.

And Ivy finally understood the emotion that was flickering within her—it had become all too clear. She yearned for Harley, yearned for her because she needed something to raise and care for, yearned for someone to love.

And she _did_ love Harley. That was all there was to it. She loved Harley in spite of her shady history and low self-esteem. Loved her despite her childishness and her adoration for a maniacal lunatic of a man.

She loved Harley. She loved her desperately. And she knew that Harley cared for her—just not the same way she cared about the Joker. It pained Ivy greatly, but it only made her care about the clown-girl even more. In spite of the shadow of the Joker that tore them apart, Ivy knew that this woman was the only thing that truly mattered to her other than her plants.

This woman was…very dear to her.

Harley tossed around in bed and reached out for Ivy.

"Stay with me please, Red," she repeated softly.

"I will," Ivy said.

She kissed Harley's little hands, first the right, then the left. "Always."


	14. Ivy and The Bat

Because of the recent reports being broadcasted of Harley-sightings, Ivy had to force the blonde to stay indoors whenever she went out for supplies.

Harley had protested at first, but eventually softened. It gave Ivy a great deal of satisfaction—the thought of keeping the woman safe at home and away from the wary eyes of the Gothamites.

Keeping Harley safe was her number-one priority above all. With her newly-discovered feelings for the blonde, Ivy had become even more protective than ever. And while she could get stern at times, Ivy made sure that Harley was cared for and tended to just as much as her plants.

Each day, she would take the woman's confidence to new heights—as if she were tossing a crippled bird higher and higher into the air in the hopes that it would one day fly again. Harley responded to this attention with eagerness and a surprising amount of calmness. But she still had so much to learn and Ivy was still not sure just how well she would survive on her own.

And while she made sure that Harley got some level of time outside, Ivy took great care to make sure that the woman did not overstep herself and get caught by the outside world.

With her feelings for Harley growing more and more with every day, Ivy knew that she had to do whatever it took to keep the woman safe and secure from cruel people like the Joker.

But perhaps the Joker wasn't the only one she had to be cautious of.

XxX

"Hey, Red," Harley said, hanging upside-down from the edge of the sofa. "We're out of pop-tarts."

"Harley, we don't _need_ pop-tarts. They're sticky and chock-full of unhealthy sugar. Trust me when I say that they are the last things that you need."

Harley crossed her arms and pouted. "But Ivyyyy…."

"I'm not about to drive into town to pick some up for you, Harley. That's that."

Harley sat up and flashed Ivy a malevolent grin. "Fine then. But you know how I get without any sugar in my body."

Ivy gulped. Harley tended to get pretty antsy if she didn't have any hyperactivity in her body. She could turn especially grumpy in the early evening.

So, swallowing up her resolve to refuse the blonde's request, she put on her coat and her shoes.

Harley smiled with happy triumph. "I like the strawberry-flavored ones."

"Right."

"Hey, Red?"

Ivy turned. "Yes?"

Harley went over towards her and gave her a friendly nuzzle. "Thanks."

Ivy smiled and touched the woman's cheek affectionately. "You're welcome. I'll be back soon. Don't get into any trouble."

"I won't."

"Be safe."

"I will."

XxX

Ivy was making her way down the street towards the area where she had parked her car. The trip to the store had thankfully not lasted very long due to the lack of Harley's foot-dragging presence. A semi-frozen box of strawberry pop-tarts rested in a grocery bag strapped around her shoulder as she tromped slowly through the thick, muddy puddles on the sidewalk.

Inhaling, she could see that her breath was becoming visible and she wondered how soon it would be until winter arrived. It was already fall and soon it would be snowing in Gotham City. Would Harley still be around by then? Or would she have gone off to the damned clown? Ivy knew she had made progress with Harley's sense of self-worth, but she knew that it was still not enough to tear her away from the Joker for good.

_Oh well. The point is that I have her with me for now. I'll keep trying to get her confidence boosted up and then we'll—_

Before she had the chance to scream, something dark and quick as lightening swooped down and tugged her with a lurch into the alleyway. It pulled her forward and pressed her against the wall, covering her shrieking mouth with a firm dark hand.

Ivy blinked, terrified of what she saw. It was a man dressed in a dark costume. His eyes shined beneath the thick black bat-shaped cowl he was wearing and they stared at her intently.

_Oh my God…I've been caught by the Batman!_

"Pamela Lillian Isley I presume?" His voice was like broken glass—like a rough, ragged beast's.

"Y-yes!" She stammered out, feeling her knees trembling. She couldn't believe that she was standing here face-to-face with the man that everyone had been talking about for ages in the city. She had heard all kinds of rumors and stories about him.

"I've been hearing rumors…some of them bringing up your name…"

"W-what do you want with me? I haven't done anything wrong!"

He growled low in his throat and pushed her closer into the wall. "I've been searching for the woman called Harley Quinn for a while now. I suppose you've heard the rumors that she is currently not alone."

"Y-yes. I've h-heard the rumors…" She gulped and shrank back.

His face got frighteningly close and she could see the urgency in his eyes. It terrified her, made her want to curl up and die. "I've heard that _you _are one of the suspects. People have reported that they've seen a red-headed woman following her around."

Ivy swallowed and stood up straight. She was not about to let this man make her lose Harley. "I'm sorry but I think you are mistaken. I've never known someone like Harley Quinn and I don't intend to. That red-haired woman could be anyone else. There are plenty of red-heads in Gotham. The thought of me running around with an insane weirdo is preposterous."

His eyes glowed. "You live on your own and a little ways from the city. It would be a convenient place to hide someone."

Her eyes hardened and she made a noble attempt to stare him down. "I assure you that I would not be hiding such a person. And if I do recall, the GCPD are just _dying _to find you. Maybe just as much as they are for that Harley-woman. I suppose you don't want me to go and alert them?" She grinned cattily up at him, enjoying the way he frowned and grew a tad nervous.

Then he regained his threatening stance and was looming over her again. "I'll give you one warning, Isley. Do not suppose for one minute that I will not be watching you. I will be. Even when you don't think I am. Harley Quinn is dangerous and the last thing you want is to get involved with her."

"Maybe she's not as dangerous as you think," Ivy hissed through her teeth. "Maybe it's people like you who are the dangerous ones—swooping down and scooping up innocent women like me." She flashed him a nasty grin.

The Batman glared and backed away. "Don't be a fool, Isley. I know what you're doing. I know that you're housing Quinn."

Ivy leaned casually against the wall. "And what if I am? What should it matter?"

His glowing eyes pierced her like bright burning coals. "She's deluded and it'll come to hurt you in the end. Her love for the Joker is eternal. It will drive both her and you to ruin."

Ivy stared at her feet for a moment and then snapped her head up, glaring at him. "For your information, she's away from the Joker. She's safe now. And she's working on breaking free from him for good."

He turned back to her and, to Ivy's shock, his eyes had become sad. There was weariness about him—a melancholy sadness. "I had hoped that she'd break from him. But that was almost a year ago. After he had hurt her. After he had almost killed her."

_Almost killed her?_

"What do you mean? He almost killed her?"

"A year ago, she attempted to kill me. She didn't tell him since she wanted it to be a surprise. He found where we were and, in his rage, pushed her out a window. She almost died. She spent a month in Arkham Asylum recovering…before he broke her out and claimed her as his own again."

"She…she never told me…"

The Batman's sad eyes looked on her pityingly. "She wouldn't. She's forced herself to forget about it."

Ivy crept forward and, very slowly, gave a tug at his cape. "I want to help her. I want to keep that clown far away from her. Please believe me when I say that."

"…"

"I don't want her to be a criminal. She's been damaged by him and she needs someone to look after her."

"And you are that person?"

Ivy blushed. "I…I want to keep her safe."

"You care about her."

Ivy looked up and stared at him bravely. "I do. More than anything."

He was silent for a short period of time, staring into the darkness. Finally, he turned to her and fixed her once again with the terrifying light of his eyes.

"Alright. If you can keep her under control and away from the Joker, I shall not interfere. You seem to be confident in the idea that you can reform her. But if you start becoming like her—if you start causing havoc _I will not hesitate to find you_. Do you understand?"

Ivy swallowed. "Yes."

He began to turn away, no doubt getting ready to swoop on top of another rooftop.

"Wait!" Ivy blurted out, making him turn back around briefly.

"Is it really true?" She asked breathlessly.

"Is what true?"

"Is it really true that he threw her out a window?"

His face was like stone. "It's true."

Ivy stared at the ground again, balling her shivering hands into tight fists.

"I hope that you're the one she needs, Isley," he said gruffly before swooping up. "Because if she keeps running with the Joker, it'll most likely happen again."

And then he was gone, vanished like a black mist into the night. Ivy stared dumbfounded into the empty alley-way, still clutching the grocery bag.

_What just happened?_

Timidly, she scampered off towards her car and sped off for home, trying to ignore the Bat's warnings that were echoing in her head.

"_He pushed her out a window"_

She shuddered, feeling her eyes sting. Her hands were shaking as she steered. Why had he gone and told her that? She despised him for it! And he was watching her! How despicable! It was just like a man to stalk a woman.

The moon was out and Ivy could feel her chest aching as she thought of Harley.

"_Her love for the Joker is eternal. It will drive both her and you to ruin"_

She bit her lip and stared at the scenery of the night as she drove. The house was coming closer.

"Hey, Red!" Harley said happily as she stepped in the doorway. "I was getting worried about ya! How was the outing? Didja—"

Without warning, Ivy threw her arms around Harley and held her close, burying her face into Harley's shoulder.

_Why didn't you tell me about what he did to you? Oh Harley…_

"Uh, Red? You okay?" The blonde gently struggled out of the embrace, staring into her friend's somber face. "You alright? What's wrong?"

Ivy looked at her friend—so oblivious and fragile! Like a delicate flower. A damaged, broken flower that had bloomed for the wrong care-giver. Ivy placed her hands on Harley's shoulders in an attempt to get them to stop shaking.

"Red? Hello? Red?"

She stepped back and walked away, not wanting Harley to see her face. "I-I'm fine. It's okay."

The Batman had placed his trust in her. As much as she didn't like him, she would not betray his trust. But what he had told her about Harley had wounded her, made her feel a surge of unhappy pity towards the woman. It made her want to crumble with despair.

She sat down on the couch and brought her knees up and hugged them against her chest. Harley came and sat down next to her.

"Hey, Red?"

"Yes?" She blinked as a half of a strawberry pop-tart was given to her. She turned and saw the blonde smiling brightly at her, pop-tart crumbs on her face.

"Have half of it, Red! You deserve it for going out and getting it for me."

Reluctantly, Ivy accepted the piece and ate it. It wasn't exactly as tasty as Harley described it to be, but it gave her time to think.

_Batman—you might be watching me, but I swear that I'm not going to fail Harley. I'll try even harder now to get her stronger and more confident in herself. You'll see…_

And perhaps she would get Harley to confide with her about her horrible incident. It would serve as a sort of key-reason why she was not meant to be with the Joker.

Harley munched on her snack and rested her head against Ivy's shoulder. Picking up the remote, she turned the television on.

For a while, the two women sat together, watching the television in silence.


	15. His, Hers, Mine

Ivy had begun to realize just how fragile her relationship with Harley was.

After what she had been told by the Batman, Ivy felt that she and Harley were somehow farther apart than before. It wasn't as if their friendship was over; it was just that Ivy didn't know how they'd manage to exist together without her shuddering with pity.

She really wanted to hear about the window-incident through Harley's perspective. It was something that haunted her day and night. But Harley never mentioned it and didn't seem to understand the torment that her friend was going through.

Things were a lot quieter around the place. Their hours mostly consisted of silently tending to the garden and watching television. Project 88 was still as strong as it was before, but it still had yet to bloom. Ivy had wondered if it ever would.

She had begun to wonder what would have happened if she had never rescued Harley in the first place. Would Harley have gone back to the Joker? Would she have been taken back to Arkham Asylum?

Looking up from her desk, she watched the blonde woman lazing on the couch. Harley's eyes were half-open and her mouth was curved into a small smile. Perhaps she was caught up in a sort of half-dream—no doubt with the Joker at her side.

The tip of Ivy's pencil broke and she gritted her teeth. She utterly _loathed_ that scarred clown. She loathed him with every fiber of her being. She knew that Harley was still in love with him. Perhaps she always would be. But she could not let Harley weaken. Not when they had grown so close. She had promised the Batman that she would look after Harley and bring her back to the light. She wasn't about to break that promise.

Pushing in her chair, she got up and went over to sit next to Harley on the couch, gently nudging her awake.

"Hm? Oh. Hi, Red."

"If you nap now, you won't be able to sleep again tonight."

Harley rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Sorry 'bout that. I was sort of dreaming, you know?"

_About the Joker._ Ivy's fingernails dug into her clenched hands.

"Oh really? It looked like a good dream. Care to share it?"

Harley cocked her head thoughtfully. "Well…it was back when I was a little kid. I was dreaming that I was running around my old neighborhood with Sammy."

"Sammy?"

"My old stuffed bunny. Mr. J brought him back to me years later. He's still at the hideout, I think…" Then she shook her head, noticing that she was trailing off.

"Sounds like a nice dream," Ivy said in relief.

"It was," Harley said, timidly resting her head in Ivy's shoulder. "Hey, Red…what was it like for you when you were little?"

Ivy shrugged. "My mother and father were very rich. We had a lot of things."

Harley laughed. "I envy ya, Red!"

"You shouldn't. Mother and father were always so busy. We never really had much time to spend with each other."

Harley's face fell slightly and her eyes darkened. "Oh. I'm sorry about that." She stared emptily out into the distance.

"…Your mother was very cruel to you wasn't she, Harley?"

Harley's blue eyes were almost black with sorrow. "She was never all that nice to me. Most of the time, I simply didn't exist to her."

"What about your father? You never told me about him."

"I don't have a daddy. I never did." Dark shadows began to form under her eyes and Ivy was worried that she'd have another breakdown. But then they softened and Harley smiled sadly. "I think we've both had lousy childhoods, Red. It's made us into who we are today. Maybe we're all a little bit messed up. Maybe we're all trying to find something to hold on to…something that'll take us back home…"

_Home…?_

Without another word Harley got up and sauntered out of the room, leaving Ivy behind to stare after her.

XxX

Project 88 was starting to act strange. One instant, it was at the pinnacle of blooming and the next it was shrinking down like a frightened animal. Its delicate blue petals were closed like a shield whenever either of the two women approached it too quickly.

All the same, Ivy kept on watering it, placing it in different pots in order to find what it was comfortable with. As she tended to the plant, her thoughts kept drifting towards Harley.

She could see the sickening smile on the Joker's face when he had met the woman for the first time. She could see every shattered piece of Harley's broken mind as he had twisted her more and more into an obsessed lunatic. The thought of the two of them in bed together for the first time…the horrid imagery of Harley filled with total, complete adoration for him as they fucked each other. And then, worst of all, the image of Harley being thrown out a window like a worthless piece of garbage, falling down with a scream to the merciless ground below. Ivy's hands were shaking with rage.

It was all useless. This whole thing was useless. How could she have been so stupid? This whole thing was one big façade. Harley would never be hers. She was and always would be, the Joker's woman. Even if she hadn't seen him for a while, Harley was still pining for him. Ivy could tell. And it was hopeless to dwell on keeping Harley with her forever. Eventually, all things had to come to an end. Ivy felt her eyes stinging and she rubbed them fiercely, trying to let the wave of emotions fade away.

Harley, who had been coloring at the table, scooted towards where her dejected friend was sitting and gave her a poke.

"What is it?"

"Knock-knock."

"Huh?"

"Knock-knock."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Who's there?"

"Doughnut."

"Doughnut who?"

Harley grinned. "Doughnut open 'till Christmas."

Ivy couldn't help smirking a little. "Nice."

Harley, seeing the smirk, scooted even closer. "Knock-knock."

"Who's there?"

"Figs."

"Figs who?"

"Figs the doorbell. It's broken!"

Ivy rolled her eyes again but Harley came even closer. Before Ivy realized it, she and Harley were face to face, staring at each other.

"W-What is it?" she asked, trying to read the odd expression on the blonde's face.

Slowly, Harley reached over and touched Ivy's arm. "Ya shouldn't look so sad all the time, Red."

"I'm not sad. What are you going on about?"

"You were looking really depressed just now. I was getting worried."

"Oh, go away and leave me alone."

But Harley wouldn't leave her alone. She remained close to her, looking into her eyes all-knowingly. Staring into the baby-blue irises, Ivy saw something different reflecting in Harley's eyes—as if someone else was staring back at her.

…_Harleen Quinzel…?_

Was she seeing a fragment of the woman Harley had been before? Was she seeing a rare glimpse of the gentle, timid woman of the past? She felt very lost, like a small child that finds herself all alone in a scary forest. The image of the Joker was beginning to fade from her mind as Harley's face got even closer. Their noses were almost touching.

"…Harley?"

The calm light in Harley's eyes faded and she scooted back away, leaving Ivy feeling very cold and alone. She cursed herself for ever uttering a word. For a moment, things had been all too blissfully unreal. Ivy wondered if it even _had_ been real and not some sick fantasy that her mind had conjured up.

_Get it together, Pamela. This is stupid. You've got to stop moping and focus on your research. Stop pining for her and try to do what you promised the Batman—take care of her. Nothing more. Just take care of her and focus on getting her more confident. That's what the plan always was, right?_

Harley had gone back to her coloring as if nothing had ever happened. Ivy stared at her and sighed loudly, going back to her plant-work.

"Knock-knock."

Ivy's head jerked up quickly and she saw that the blonde was close to her again.

"Who—who's there?" Her voice was like a choked whisper.

"Butcher."

"Butcher who?"

Harley grinned widely. "Butcher arms around me, Red!"

And they embraced.

XxX

_**A/N- What happened after that?**_

_**Well, that's up for you guys to decide. Personally, I think everything was innocent, but it's really a mystery. ;D**_

_**Anyway, things are going to get even more complicated from here. Especially when Mr. J gets involved. **_

_**Keep reading, folks. More to come soon!**_

_**-CAT**_


	16. Pursuit

Poke was giggling like a maniac.

"The hell is the matter with you?" Cutter asked, raising an eyebrow in annoyance.

"He's finally cracked," Rocco said dryly. "The boss's bad mood has broken him."

Henshaw yawned and stretched. "Poor boss. He's a bit of a wreck. You saw how dangerous he got when we were talking to Henny."

"Damn near killed the poor bastard," Rocco said with a nod.

"He probably would've killed him if Cutter hadn't intervened."

"You're such a softie, Cutter!"

"Shut up you two," Cutter said with a growl. "Henny is an ally to us. Killing him means that we'd have to find someone else to give us the buzz on things."

Poke, still giggling, scrambled over towards the main computer and hopped onto the seat, turning the computer on and typing furiously on the keyboard.

"Hey," Cutter called over to him. "Don't mess the computer up. It's already in bad shape and it's the only one we got."

Poke ignored him and kept typing just as furiously as before.

"Poke, what the hell are you doing anyway?"

Poke turned around and gave them an eerie grin. "I just might have figured out who Harley is with."

Rocco and Henshaw gasped at the same time.

"No shit?"

"Really?"

Poke, proud of himself, nodded and motioned them towards the computer screen. "Check this out. Remember what Henny told us about the lady? She had red hair and a freaking gorgeous-ass body? I've been snooping around and I found this."

He held up a picture for them all to see. It was a grainy image of a red-haired woman standing right next to what looked like a carefully disguised Harley.

"Where'd you get this?"

"I've got my ways," Poke said with a smirk. "Anyway, this was taken at a local supermarket some few weeks ago. So now I know what this chick looks like."

Cutter rolled his eyes. "That's fine, Poke, but how is that supposed to help us?"

Smugly, Poke clicked on an online article and brought up a page.

**GOTHAM UNIVERSITY STUDENT RECIEVES RECOGNITION FOR WORK WITH EXOTIC PLANTS**

The article had been made years ago, but they could see why Poke was so excited. A picture was shown of a young red-haired woman shyly accepting a certificate with one hand and clutching a plant-pot with the other. Despite the difference in age, the woman greatly resembled the same woman from the other photograph.

"Poke, is this really her?"

"I'd bet my left arm it is," Poke said with a chuckle. "I remember her 'cuz she's got this really weird name. Pamela Lillian Isley. She's always hanging around the parks and pulling out weeds. A real plant-bonkers lady. She's got this little nickname—Poison Ivy."

"Poison Ivy…" Cutter murmured, staring at the article. "And you're saying that that's the woman Harley is with?"

Poke nodded. "You got it."

"We've gotta tell the boss," Rocco said excitedly. "The boss would know what to do."

"But the boss has been in a bad mood for a while now," Henshaw piped up. "He's been sulking in his room for hours. No telling how he'll react to it."

Poke got up and proudly began marching up the stairs. "I'll tell him. I'm the one who figured this out, so I'll be the one to tell him. Maybe I'll get something out of this." Soon, he was out of sight.

"Hope the boss doesn't bite his head off," Rocco said.

"Maybe the boss will be relieved. I mean, now we finally know the woman. It means we can go track down where she's at."

Cutter said nothing and simply stared at the photograph of the woman.

_So this is who you've gone to. I wonder why. Who is she, Harley? Is she a friend? A new lover? A long-lost relative? _

The sounds of loud yelling echoed from upstairs and the three men flinched. It looked like Poke was giving the boss the news.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Poke shuffled down the steps. They went over towards him, eager to find out how the boss had reacted. To their relief, the thin, wiry man gave them a devilish grin and the thumbs-up.

The boss began to descend down the stairs, prompting Poke and the others to get out of the way as he walked into the room. His war-paint was off and his scars stood out even more strongly under the dim lamp-light. His eyes were like blazing flames and his mouth was pulled back in a manic grin.

"Looks like we know what to do now, boys," he said darkly, eyeing them menacingly. "We're going to find this woman and we're going to find her fast."


	17. Almost

Ivy awoke in the early evening, sweating slightly from a nightmare unremembered. Blinking, she sat up in bed and got to her feet, switching on the lamp and shuffling into the den.

Harley was sitting in her usual place on the couch, chewing on a popsicle and watching the television. Her eyes brightened when she saw the red-haired woman enter the room.

"Hey, Red! Man, you were sleeping in a very long time. What did you do last night that made ya so tired?"

Ivy shrugged and sat down next to the blonde. "I don't know."

"My guess is that ya overdid it with your research. You've been injecting yourself some more haven't ya, Red?"

Ivy smiled groggily and nodded. "Yeah. That was probably it. Anyway, what are you doing?"

"Oh, just watchin' stuff. Nothing is really on."

Ivy leaned back and rested her head against the soft couch cushion. Harley watched her and blushed slightly.

"You know what, Red?"

"What?"

"You even make the act of leaning back look good. It's a mystery why ya don't have a guy in your life. You're so pretty it's scary."

Ivy grinned proudly and gave Harley a wink. "I do try."

"I wish I was that pretty."

"You're very pretty, Harl."

Harley smiled shyly. "But not like you, Red."

Ivy reached over and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "What did I say about beating yourself up? Of course you're pretty. Be more confident in yourself! And anyway, looks aren't always important. Character should come first."

Harley laughed. "You sound like someone's mother." Then she cocked her head thoughtfully. "I know you don't like guys, Red, but what about kids? Ever thought of havin' kids?"

Ivy frowned and looked away. "I can't."

Harley's eyes widened and she stared down at her feet. "W-why's that?"

Ivy smiled sadly. "I'm infertile. It's the result of all my plant-research. I've put more chemicals in my body than a sports-star has in steroids. Part of me always wanted kids of my own, but the truth is that I can't. And adopting wouldn't really work for me."

"Oh." Harley was silent for a while and could not bring herself to maintain eye contact.

Ivy closed her eyes. "But it's alright. I don't care about it anymore. My plants are my children." She looked over at Harley and raised an eyebrow. "What about you though? What's your take on children?"

Harley blushed. "Kids are bratty. Especially in this day in age. But…it would be nice to have a kid. Maybe a girl. Actually, I wouldn't care what gender it is. Just one…" She trailed off and turned her head away, embarrassed with herself.

Ivy sighed and sat up. "What time is it anyway?"

Harley shrugged. "About 6:30. I dunno."

"We should do something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. We should just do something fun."

Harley grinned cheekily. "My goodness! Am I really hearing no-nonsense Red saying that we should do something fun? Run for the hills! It's the end of the world!"

Ivy gave her a friendly swat and tugged her up. "We should take a walk outside. The air is nice and maybe the crickets are out. Want to do that?"

Harley jumped up and down like a giddy child at Christmas. "Yeah! Let's do that!" She bounded towards the door and continued hopping, happy to be getting some fresh air.

Ivy chuckled at her enthusiasm and opened the door for her, following her outside.

The air was just perfect for a walk. Gotham, for once, actually smelled crisp and clean. Ivy strolled casually alongside her friend, comforted at the knowledge that no one would recognize them under the cover of darkness. Harley raced ahead under the streetlights and chased after a frog on the sidewalk, mimicking it's movements and giggling under her breath. Ivy followed and stared fondly at the leaves that were beginning to drift from the trees.

Tiring in her chase, Harley slowed down and fell back at Ivy's side, smiling happily. Her blonde pigtails bobbed in the breeze and the bells attached to the ribbons that held them jingled.

"This is great, Red! Can ya hear the crickets?"

"Yes. I can hear them."

For Ivy, this moment was almost magical. She had never seen Harley so…_sane_. Was she even considered mentally unstable at this point? She seemed so serene now. Her voice had lost the edge it had once had when they first met and her eyes were no longer that of a maniac's. Here she was—childish and energetic—but gentle and pure.

It amazed the hell out of Ivy at how much Harley had changed. Maybe it was for the better. Maybe the woman had finally found a happiness and contentment away from the Joker. Maybe—

Ivy shook her head, telling herself not to get her hopes up. She really had no idea how things were with Harley. The woman had been a mystery when she had first come into her life and she would always be one.

But still, Ivy felt her heart warming up with hope. They had really come a long way, Harley and her. The blonde had really grown on her in more ways than one. Ivy was so close, so unbearably close, to asking her the question she'd been meaning to ask for a long time. But the words were dead in her mouth, preventing her from uttering them.

"_Stay with me please, Red…"_

"_I will. Always."_

Ivy gulped and stared at the ground. Harley wrapped an arm around hers and pulled her along, grinning from ear to ear.

"This is a nice part of town, Red. Nice and suburban with just a touch of wilderness to it. It's away from everyone else."

"Yeah. That's why I chose it."

They walked on and Harley sang a tune softly under her breath, lighting up the night with her soft, fluttering voice. Ivy relaxed a bit and listened, feeling more at ease.

Minutes went by and the moved on in silence, basking in the warm glow of the streetlights as the sounds of crickets and cicadas buzzed all around them.

"Hey, Red?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd ya take care of me after all this time? Why weren't you afraid of me?" Harley's grip around her arm tightened.

"I just didn't think you were as dangerous as you claimed to be."

"You're not afraid at all? I'm a wanted criminal, Red."

Ivy inhaled and closed her eyes. "I don't care. You're my friend. And I…care about you."

Harley turned and faced her with bright eyes. "Ya really mean that?"

"Didn't I already tell you? Harley, you're probably one of the few people on this earth that actually mean something to me."

"Aw, you're just sayin' that."

"I mean it. I truly do."

Harley looked as if she were about to fall over in bliss. The knowledge that someone cared about her melted her to the core.

Ivy stared into the blonde's face. This was something else. There was nothing like it. There was no war-paint or dangerous look in her eye. There was no insecurity or frailness. There was nothing but joy and acceptance.

Ivy swallowed and decided that now was the perfect time to ask what she'd been meaning to ask for days.

"Harley?"

"Yeah?" Harley's voice was soft and barely above a whisper.

"I know that the plan was for you to stay with me until you got back on your feet…"

"Yeah…"

"…But I was wondering…"

"Yeah…?"

"If you wanted to stay with me…well, longer than that."

Harley's face was expressionless. "You mean…start over…and live with you?" Ivy could see the gears working in the woman's head. She knew what the scenario meant: leaving the past behind permanently—including the Joker.

Ivy knew it wouldn't happen. With a sigh, she started to turn away. But then, she felt a sharp tug on her sleeve and Harley grinned and almost toppled her over.

"Alright, Red! I'll do it!"

Ivy's jaw wanted to drop to oblivion. Was this really happening?

"You—you mean—"

Harley nodded firmly. "I'll do it, Red. I'll stay with you and start over. I'll get a new identity and maybe I'll even go back to being a shrink or something. Hell, maybe I'll even take on being your assistant for that immunity you're always going on about. My days as a criminal are through!"

_That means…no more Joker! She'll be free from him at last!_

Ivy wanted to scream with joy. She wanted to jump around. But she kept herself composed and smiled widely.

"Alright then! Let's head for home!"

They made their way back towards the house, grinning at each other like excited children and ready to start anew. Ivy had never felt so content in her whole life. Harley was finally hers and no one else's…

…And then the moment was shattered. It all began with a simple sentence from Harley.

"Hey, Red, did we leave the lights on?"

The lights were on in the house as they cautiously made their way towards the door. Harley shrunk back behind Ivy, as if she knew exactly what was inside.

Boldly, Ivy turned the knob and opened the door, breathing in roughly at the sight she saw.

A war-painted, scarred man sat on the sofa, smoothing back his greasy brownish-green hair. Behind him stood four other men with weapons in their hand. One of them was chuckling and playing with a lighter, opening and closing it.

Ivy's mind uttered a single word that summed the whole thing up:

_Shit._

"Hello, ladies," The Joker said quietly with a wide grin. "We've been waiting for you."


	18. The Confrontation

The Joker got up from the chair he was sitting in and strolled casually around the room, poking at the plants that rested in their pots on the window-box.

"I have to say that it took me quite some time to find you. If it weren't for Poke here, it would've taken a lot longer."

The thin man with the messy hair grinned and twitched at the praise.

Picking up the pot that contained Project 88, the clown fiddled around with the delicate blue petals, making it shudder as he plucked a single petal from the stem. Ivy gasped and dug her nails into her fists, almost hearing the cry of pain from the defenseless flower.

"Get the hell out of here," Ivy growled, pushing Harley back protectively. "I can call the police and—"

The scarred man licked his lips and strolled forward, grinning from ear to ear. "And what? Let them know that you've been sheltering _my_ girl?" He came closer and Ivy could smell him—gunpowder and the coppery scent of someone's blood. The tiny red specks on his purple jacket sent a shiver down her spine.

Behind her, Harley was trembling. But it wasn't out of fear. To Ivy's disgust, it was out of excitement. The clown came even closer and peeked over Ivy's shoulder at the trembling blonde. His grin widened, revealing a row of yellow teeth and he held his arms out. "Hello, my pet. I missed you."

And then, in one unmerciful blow to Ivy's appetite, Harley let out a delighted squeal and dove into the man's arms, nuzzling and crooning as she covered him with kisses.

"Puddin'! It's been sooo long!"

Smoothing back a lock of his filthy hair, the clown looked coolly down at the sniveling woman and ruffled her hair. "You shouldn't have run off, Harl. It was very naught of you to do that. Daddy needed you."

"Sorry—so sorry!" Harley's face was buried in the Joker's chest, sending a surge of boiling-hot anger through Ivy's body. Had she already regressed back completely? What about starting over?

_Harley…don't tell me that you still love him…you can't possibly still love him after all we've been through…_

The thought filled her with rage and in one quick motion she grabbed the back of Harley's shirt and pulled her away from the clown. The Joker frowned and took out his knife, stooping over Ivy.

"It appears I haven't met your little friend yet, my sweet. Let me guess…Pamela Isley? You're that little plant-whacko everyone talks about. They call you Poison Ivy." He eyed her body and let out a low whistle. "Not bad. With a body like that, no one would ever think that you're some sort of recluse that sits at home all day warbling nursery-rhymes to your weeds."

The man called Poke and the two burly men chuckled softly. The other man, the older one with the beard and the strong-looking arms, said nothing and stared into space.

"Stay the fuck away from me," Ivy hissed. "I know all about you. I've heard about all the things you've done. You like to take out your frustrations on Harley. Well, that's about to change." She knew that she was nowhere near a possible weapon to use against him. She felt foolish, not sure what to do.

The Joker pulled his knife close to Ivy's face and chuckled. "Ooh. A fiery little minx, aren't we? I wonder what would happen if I were to cut that pretty face of yours into tiny little pieces? That wouldn't be all that pleasant now would it?"

"Heh," Ivy said with a sneer. "I'd like to see you try. You don't scare me. You're the lowest scum on the face of this planet. You like to prove that you're so tough by hurting a woman that won't raise a hand against you. You took Harley and twisted her into a kicked-puppy. You're shit. Utter garbage. You think that you're the man that Gotham City fears? Ha! All of Gotham knows how your girlfriend abandoned you. You're old news! You're the laughing stock of Gotham right now!"

The clown's grin grew even larger and he pinned Ivy roughly against the wall, holding his knife against her throat. "My dear, it seems you have quite a mouth on you. Perhaps I can fix it. A shame, perhaps we could've taken you with us. You've done such a good job looking out for my Harley and it would've been nice to have another ace in the hole."

Ivy spat in his war-painted face, reveling in the frown that formed on it. He scowled and the knife was only inches from slitting her throat.

"Puddin'! Don't do it!"

They both turned their heads and blinked at the blonde that stood before them. Harley's eyes were wide and determined and her hands were balled into tight shaking fists.

"And why not, my girl? Don't you agree that her behavior towards me is rude? Does she not deserve it?" The knife inched closer and Ivy gulped.

Harley came forward and gently shoved the knife away, standing firmly in between the two of them. "I won't let you do it." Her baby-blue eyes were hardened and fierce—the same way they had been when Ivy had first met her.

The Joker's scars drooped. "You won't let me? That's an awfully bold thing to say, Harl. Why even bother standing up for this woman? She's kept you far from me for such a long time. Surely she doesn't mean anything to you?"

His voice was soft and manipulating, but Harley stood her ground. "She's my friend, Mr. J. She took care of me and kept me safe from the police and the Bat. I'm not about to let you hurt her."

The Joker tossed his head back and howled with laughter. "You're not going to let me, hm? This woman _must_ mean something to you then, huh? How was your little girls-only adventure, my pet? Perhaps all the slumber-parties and hair-braiding made you forget just who you belong to." Ivy was slightly amazed because for a moment, just a tiny sliver of a moment, the clown's voice had been filled with hurt—as if he genuinely felt affection for her.

Harley must have heard it and her eyes softened. "No, Mr. J. I could never forget about you," She lowered her head and stared at the ground. "I love you, Puddin'. I always will."

Ivy's eyes were burning, her heart downing a revolted somersault in her chest. How could she? How could she love this terrible sicko of a man?

Then Harley's eyes hardened again and she stared boldly up at the clown. "But I still won't let you hurt Red! I won't let you!"

"And what if I so happen to kill her, my pet? What then?"

Harley's face was humorless and deadly. "Then I'll make you wish you hadn't."

The Joker growled. Was this really happening? Was his little Harley Quinn really standing up to him and threatening him? This was unbelievable.

_What has the weed been filling your ears with, I wonder? Don't tell me that she's been giving you little pep-talks! How pathetic! _

This could not happen. Harley was _his _and _his _alone. To have her turned against him made his mind clang dully with rage and murder. His fists trembled and his teeth gritted together.

"Boss," the older man said gently as he touched the Joker's shoulder. "Do we have to kill the woman? Why start a riot right here? You know that the cops are on our trail. If you waste time killing this woman, we could all get caught. Let's leave her alone, huh?"

The scarred man's nostrils flared and he looked from Ivy to Harley to Cutter. Then, to everyone's surprise, he relaxed and flashed them a wide toothy grin.

"You know what? Fine! I'll leave the little tree-hugger alone. No problem. After all, we can't always solve everything with violence. It just isn't practical." He took a casual step back and put his knife back in his pocket. "See? It's the real deal. We'll go now. But Harley has to come with us."

Harley's eyes widened and she scooted close to Ivy, holding her arm.

"She's not going with you," Ivy said with a glare. "I won't let you take her."

"Who's taking her? It's her choice. Well, Harley? Are you coming or not?"

Harley's lower lip was trembling and she inched forward, only to inch back in turmoil. "But…but I…"

The clown's dark-brown eyes flashed and he waited patiently, looking all the while more frightening and intimidating with each passing minute. Finally, he sighed and began to shuffle towards the door.

"I won't beg, Harl. After all, it's _your_ choice. You can either come with me and the boys or stay with the plant-freak. And since I'm such a sport, I'll give you six hours to make up your mind. That's fair, isn't it?" He grinned nastily at Ivy.

"Mr. J please…"

"You know where we are. Six hours, my pet. I hope you make the right decision." And then he was gone, Poke and the cousins following him as Cutter stopped briefly to give them a look of sympathy.

On the table where the clown had placed it, Project 88 sat in it's pot and drooped pitifully. And for a long while, the two women stood there in silence, listening to the clown's dreadful cackling in the distance.


	19. Torn

The clock ticked quietly as the two women sat in silence on the sofa, not daring to look or speak to each other.

For Ivy, it was one of the longest, slowest moments of her life. In her arms was Project 88, cowering in her embrace like a wounded animal as she caressed the delicate blue petals.

Harley's eyes were dark and contemplative, lost in some dreamless trance. Her face was very pale—almost as pale as it was with the war-paint—and her hands twitched occasionally.

Three hours had gone past since the Joker's visit. Ivy had locked the door frantically after his departure and made sure that he had gone. She had been worried that he had led the police to where they were at but to her relief, they hadn't shown up.

Getting up, Ivy wordlessly stumbled over to the kitchen table and set Project 88's pot down. Her eyes drifted towards the refrigerator where one of Harley's doodles was posted up. It was a picture of the two of them admiring a patch of flowers.

And under the drawing:

_Best pals forever, Red!_

Ivy stared at the words blankly, feeling her heart turning to stone in her chest. She looked over at herself in the mirror on the wall and saw the lines that were forming under her eyes, the way her pretty lips were beginning to quiver.

From the sofa, Harley inhaled sharply and let out a sigh.

"Red…"

Ivy turned and blinked at the woman, feeling her soul do a somersault in horror as the blonde began to get to her feet and head towards the closet—the closet that contained her old costume.

Frantically, she moved forward and touched the woman on the shoulder, trying to prevent her from moving.

"Harley…you can't…"

Harley's pupils narrowed and she stared calmly into Ivy's face. "I've gotta go now, Red. Mr. J is waiting for me."

"You—you can't! Harley—!"

"I love him," Harley said simply. "I belong to him, Red. He's my Puddin' and he'll always be."

Her voice sounded hollow and dull, like a sleepwalker's. Her eyes were free from their childish innocence and once more looked at her with that same animalistic mystery that she had seen from when they had first met. It was if Ivy were now looking at a complete stranger—no longer the sweet Harley she had grown to love, but the dangerous criminal Harley Quinn that all of Gotham feared.

It was too much for Ivy. The thought of Harley's departure made her heart pang in the most aching of ways. Feeling a wave of desperation, she slapped Harley squarely and firmly across the face, watching in dismay as the blonde fell to the floor.

"Feel that!" She screamed. "That's what he is to you! He'll hurt you again, Harley! He'll never stop! You're just going to go back to being his tool—after all you and I have worked on?"

Harley looked up at the red-haired woman and whimpered, feeling the sting of the slap on her cheek. "Red—he's not like that…"

"He _is_! Don't go back to him, Harley! He doesn't care about you!"

Harley's eyes grew wide and moist and she shakily stood up and took a step back. "You don't understand, Red! Mr. J—"

"—threw you out of a window!" Ivy's voice was like thunder. "Don't think that I don't know about that!"

Harley glared fearsomely and clenched her hands. "Where did you hear that?"

"The Batman."

Harley's eyes widened even more and she took another step backwards. "You mean…this whole time you've been in league with the Bat?"

"No! I haven't! But he told me. He told me everything about you."

Harley clutched at her costume like a security-blanket and shook her head. "Mr. J didn't mean it…he was just angry with me…I deserved it!" She blinked back at Ivy and smiled feverishly. "And then after I had been locked back up at Arkham, Mr. J broke me out so's I could be with him again! He did it 'cuz he cared about me!"

Ivy shook her head. "No he doesn't. He never did."

"He _did_! He _does_!"

Ivy sneered. "No, Harley. You're a fool if you honestly think that he does. You were never meant to be with him. You were never supposed to be the woman you are now."

Harley winced and said nothing.

"You were a doctor. And you were not someone who lived a dangerous life. You weren't a tool or a toy for a man to play with. You were your own woman. You were _alive_, Harley."

"No," Harley said with a growl. "I was never alive. I was just Harleen Quinzel—boring and living a meaningless life. I was afraid of what everyone else would think. I lived my life being crushed by the outside world. It wasn't until Mr. J woke me up that I discovered who I was truly meant to be." Her mouth upturned into a demonic grin and Ivy felt her knees shake slightly.

Ivy grabbed the woman by the shoulders and shook her furiously. "Are you really that stupid? Are you really such a blind, hopeless fool? Don't you understand?"

Harley's face fell at the word 'fool' and she pushed Ivy's hands off of her. "What is it that I need to understand? What do you know? You just sit here and talk to your plants. You don't know what it's like to love someone!"

Ivy let out an anguished moan and tripped back. "Don't say that…don't you DARE say that!"

"You don't," Harley repeated, tears in her eyes. "You don't have someone to love…someone who you love so much that you look past his faults…" Her nails dug into her arms like they had that other time. Her body began to tremble as the tears ran down her cheeks and poured onto the floor. "Before Mr. J…nobody loved me. I was all alone. I had…no one. But then I met him…" She looked sadly at her friend and brushed her tears away. "I _know_ he can get rough sometimes, Ivy. But I…can't help it. I love him so much…and without him, who else do I have?"

"You have me."

Harley blinked. "What?"

Ivy came forward and touched the woman's tear-soaked cheek. "I love you, Harley. I'll keep you safe from him. All you have to do is stay."

"Ivy…"

"Don't you understand? You mean a lot to me, Harley. I want to look after you. You're sort of like the sister I never had…or a daughter. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Harley was crying again, sniffling and trembling. She looked as helpless as she had when Ivy had first found her—shivering and weak that one cold night long ago. Ivy's hand found the blonde's hair and she stroked it gently.

"Stay with me, Harley. Please stay with me. You said that you would. We could work together. You could help me tend the garden and be the one to help me find a liquid-immunity. We could do it all together, Harley…you and me…"

"You and me," Harley whispered softly.

For a moment it seemed like it would all work out. Ivy had felt Harley's alliance waver for a short beautiful minute. The hopeful future that laid in wait for the two of them stood before them like a beacon of light. It beckoned the two of them with a shining radiance. But then the light dimmed and Ivy knew the truth of what was to be.

The strength in Harley's eyes faded like the morning mist. She gently took Ivy's arms off of her and backed away once more.

"Red…I'm sorry."

"You don't want to," Ivy said sulkily, feeling her shoulders droop. "You're still going to go back to him." She stared at the ground, feeling her eyes sting. "If you didn't care about me, then why did you bother making sure he didn't kill me?"

"Because I love ya too, Red," Harley said quietly. "You're the best friend I've ever had. I didn't want you to die on me. But I have to do this. This is who I am."

"It isn't who you are to me."

Harley slowly went over towards the table and picked up Project 88, gently pushing the pot into Ivy's arms. "This is who _you_ are, Red. You're Pamela Isley—a genius who's gonna one day find the source to all immunity through plants. You don't need me, Red. You need your plants. You need to look after this here Project 88 and make sure that it grows strong and blooms."

"And you?"

Harley smiled sadly. "I'm the gal who's going to follow Mr. J forever. Until the day I die. It was my destiny to be with him. I know it bothers the hell out of ya for seeing me all over him like this. But that's the way it has to be. I love him with my whole heart, Red. I love you too but he _needs_ me. He needs me because he once lost someone who was dear to him. It was that loss that made him who he was. I know. I've heard him speak about it in his sleep. I've got to stick with him through whatever may come. And that's what I'm going to do."

They were both silent for a minute, staring at each other. Ivy felt herself breaking from the inside, looking at this pretty, good-natured blonde and realizing that she would always stay blind to the truth. Her heart longed to put an end to the Joker and his power over Harley—longed to keep the woman with her for the rest of her life.

But the harsh, cold feeling of reality brought itself before her and she knew what Harley would not be hers. She would always be _his_.

_His…I hate him!_

Her fists ground tightly together and she glared at her feet, cursing the clown under her breath. Then she looked up at her friend and her features softened.

"So is this…goodbye?"

Harley crept forward slowly and gave Ivy another melancholy smile. "I'm afraid it is, Red."

"And what now? What am I to do now?"

"I don't know, Red. I guess what you were doing before me."

"So that's it then. You're going back to him. And I never see you again."

"Oh, _Red!_" Harley threw her arms around Ivy and hugged her, nuzzling her tenderly. Ivy stood there limply, feeling the embrace and shuddering as her eyes grew moist with bitter tears. She didn't want to say goodbye. She didn't want Harley to go.

Harley finally pulled away and blinked at the thin stream of tears running down Ivy's face. Her pigtails drooped and she began to make her way towards the door.

"Harley…" There was so much Ivy wanted to say, so much she wanted to tell her. But the words died on her lips.

Harley turned and gave Ivy one last smile. "See ya around, Red."

And the door opened and closed and Ivy was alone.


	20. Time

_**(DISCLAIMER-The lyrics used are not mine. They don't belong to me.)**_

Ivy sat at the table and stared into space.

So now things were back to normal. There was no Harley in her life, no chaos or longing or stupid girl-time trips to the outside world. There was just her and her plants…the way things had been before.

_I hate him…I hate him! I'll hate him until the day I die!_

Rage boiled inside of her and she ground her teeth, seething and digging her fingernails into the table.

If she were able, she'd make the Joker pay for taking Harley away from her. She would've sent the Bat or the police on him if she knew where he lived. But then it all came down to Harley—Harley being sent back to Arkham Asylum—and Ivy knew that the place could not give Harley the proper treatment to wean her off the clown for good.

_Harley…_

How many different emotions did the woman make her feel? Waves of love, hate, bitterness, and pining washed over her all at the same time.

_No. Don't think about Harley. You told yourself that you wouldn't._

It had been four days since Harley's departure. News of her and the Joker's mischief was broadcasted all over GCN—spreading all around Gotham City like wildfire. Ivy always shut off the television when the reports came on, staring at the blank screen without uttering a single word.

In her sleep, she replayed the event over and over: Harley leaving out the door to go back to her beloved clown, Harley's final words to her…

"_See ya around, Red."_

But Ivy doubted if she'd ever 'see Harley around'. She doubted if she'd ever see the woman again.

"_I love him with my whole heart, Red. I love you too but he needs me."_

Feh. What did Ivy care? So what if the stupid blonde was out of her life? She didn't need Harley. She didn't need anyone.

She was spending a lot less time interacting with the outside world lately. Her hours were spent wandering listlessly about her garden, tending to her plants with dreary emptiness.

"Here you go, my baby…some nice water…"

Her plants seemed to know that something was up. They shrunk back from her touch and timidly curled around her hands—perhaps trying to comfort her.

The immunity project was at a dead end. She'd spent many empty hours pouring plant-chemicals into her body through a needle but to no avail. Nothing changed. Project 88 simply sat on the kitchen table in it's pot and did nothing. It wasn't wilting, but it wasn't getting any stronger. Perhaps it too, like Harley, would leave her.

With her mood lowered and her emotions a mess, she would take to bed earlier in the evening, going to a world without Harley or the Batman or the Joker. There, it was only her and her plants and relief. Sometimes, she'd swear that she heard Woodrue's voice calling out to her from the hazy mist, but she'd turn away and flee from it, cursing him under her breath. She hated him almost as much as she hated the clown.

Days turned into weeks and Ivy buried herself in her work. Soon, the vultures from Gotham University would be begging her for more plant-serums and toxins. She continued to inject herself with syringe after syringe, doing whatever it took to block out all memory of the hapless harlequin-woman.

"Maybe this time it'll work…"

But nothing ever worked. Ivy was beginning to wonder if she'd ever find what she'd been searching for. At this point, she wasn't sure. She didn't want a triumph or a tragedy…didn't want a boyfriend or an enemy.

_So then…what do you want? What do you want?_

It reminded her of when she had been very small. She had never really wanted the toys that her wealthy parents had plied her with nor the good-looks that everyone said was being bestowed upon her. She just wanted…contentment. She wanted her family home with her more often.

_I want…my family home with me…_

A family. Her plants were her family, weren't they? They _had_ to be.

"_I'm Harley Quinn: second-in-command of the Joker crew. But, ah, call me Harley. Everyone does."_

"_I guess you're really not so bad after all. You're pretty cool, Red."_

"_I didn't want ya to get hurt, Red. I was just returning the favor for you helping me out."_

"_Red…Red…"_

A woman—young, helpless and so achingly fragile, clings to her tightly and cries.

"_Stay with me please, Red,"_

Ivy shook her head and tried to make the memory go away. Project 88 was trembling in it's pot. Seeing it move, Ivy went to it and stared, her eyes wide.

The delicate blue petals shivered as the plant began to creep slowly upright, folding in and out of itself. Ivy realized what was happening. The frail little plant was finally blooming. She watched intently as the petals finally opened and the plant rose as tall as it could.

"You finally bloomed…"

Then, to Ivy's amazement, the plant began to secrete a thin green liquid—oozing it out of the tips of it's petals. Ivy frantically grabbed a flask and held it to where the liquid exuded.

"What's…this?"

It was certainly intriguing. Could it be that Project 88 had the material she had been looking for?

_Only one way to find out…_

She spent all afternoon in the lab in the greenhouse, examining and studying the liquid with meticulous vigor. She came to the conclusion that perhaps it could be an important catalyst in the immunity project.

"Maybe…just maybe…"

So she set herself to work. The liquid was placed in the syringe and Ivy now held it in her hand, nervous and eager at the same time. All thoughts of Harley were far from her mind. This was it. If this didn't work, then she'd cease the project.

Inhaling sharply, she sunk the needle into her arm and waited. For a while, nothing seemed to happen.

And then everything changed.

With a shriek, she felt her insides churning and boiling, making her sick to her stomach. In a moment of nausea and pain, she wondered if she had neared the end of her life—doomed to die at the hands of the plant that she had taken care of for so long. But then the feelings of sickness passed and Ivy could feel herself recovering.

Well…recovering probably wasn't a good enough word for it. _Cured_ was probably a better one. And cured _was_ really the best choice because she had been cured of all vulnerability to toxins and poisons. In the course of a few more days, her immune system had conquered everything that was exposed to it. At long, long last, her experimentation had finally paid off.

But, of course, it was not without its faults. As a result of the final experiment, her skin had paled considerably, turning an almost white-green color. It certainly wasn't terribly noticeable. Her body was still as beautiful as ever. But, if one were to look closely, they would see the subtle tint to Ivy's skin-tone. Perhaps now she could finally own the nickname Poison Ivy with pride.

But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the delirium and shakes that had come days later as a result of the injection. Ivy fought night after night of feverish, horrible dreams, waking up with a sweat and feeling sick to her stomach.

In those nightmares, she'd see the blonde's face peering at her, smiling shyly or frowning, or blushing. And then she'd awaken alone in bed, running her hands through her long red hair.

"Harley," she'd call, half-expecting the woman to answer her in the darkness. But no answer ever came.

She rode the fever out for several more weeks, keeping to herself and tending to the now-bloomed Project 88—which, ironically enough, still had lots of growing to do—and sipped her coffee in the quiet of her garden.

It was actually pretty surprising when the letter came to her in the mail.

At first she had ignored it. She didn't know who would be communicating with her when she hadn't had much human-contact of late. But, to her reluctance, she finally picked up the thing and held it in her hands, contemplating whether or not to open it.

_Is it from…?_

Slowly, she tore through the letter and pulled out a crumpled, messy piece of paper, grasping it tightly and reading the words that were scribbled. It was only five words.

_I'll see you again soon._

Ivy's eyes widened and she let out a little gasp, clutching the letter and reading the words over and over. Her eyes began to grow moist and she cursed herself for being so emotional.

"Like Hell I'll see her soon! She can stay away from me!"

Fuming, she threw the letter across the room and stomped over towards the kitchen table, putting her head in her hands.

"_Red! Let's do something together!"_

"_Thanks for looking out for me, Red!"_

"_You're the best friend I've got…"_

Tears fell and hit the table as the woman called Poison Ivy began to sob. So it wasn't the end after all. The one named Harley Quinn had not let go of her just yet.

"H-Harley…"

Stumbling back to her feet, Ivy picked the letter back up and held it close.

No, it wasn't the end of the two of them. Perhaps Harley would be back in the following months, looking for shelter and refuge from her dangerous lover. And Ivy would be there to try to put the pieces of her mind and self-worth back together and take care of the woman. Perhaps Harley might eventually swear off the clown for good.

_Perhaps…_

Ivy knew that if and when it happened, she would be there. It would take time and patience and a slew of obstacles, but she would be there.

One of Project 88's blue petals brushed gently across Ivy's face. She looked at it and smiled sadly, stroking it tenderly.

"You were just like her, you know. You were frail and weak and couldn't look after yourself. Just like her…"

The idea came to her that this plant should no longer be called 'Project 88'. Harley had always wanted to give it a proper name. And while the blonde was not present, perhaps it was time to give it the name it needed.

"A Blue Harley. That's what I shall call you. You shall grow and get stronger and stronger. I promise you. You shall bear children in the coming spring and your species shall grow and multiply until they are free to bask in the sunlight forever."

She wondered what would happen now. What would the future bring? What would happen between her and Harley?

Somehow, she didn't want to know the answers. She'd let whatever come and to hell with everything else.

And maybe all would be well in the end. Maybe things would all change for the better. She had to hope that.

She would wait for that change; wait for the day when she'd see her beloved friend again.

All she had to do was hope.

XxX

_They say a watched pot won't ever boil, _

_You can't raise a baby on motor oil, _

_Just like a seed down in the soil _

_You gotta give it time. _

-Lyrics by The Arcade Fire

XxX

_**A/N- So ends part three of the Until We Bleed Series. **_

_**Sorry that there wasn't much Joker in this arc. But you could argue that he plays an important role in the whole gist of it. After all, he's basically the wall that separates Harley and Ivy from each other. **_

_**Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! You guys are what keep me writing and I really appreciate your insights and observations.**_

_**Things might slow down for a bit. I'll probably be taking a brief hiatus from the series in order to adjust to my new life in college. That said, I sincerely hope that you all will take the time to look at the fourth story arc when I finally get around to writing it. **_

_**See you guys for now! I hope you all will wait patiently during my hiatus and I look forward to hearing from y'all soon.**_

_**COMING SOON- SHADOW OF THE DAY: the fourth part of the Until We Bleed series.**_

_**Catch you guys later! :D**_

_**-CAT**_


End file.
